In a press release on Monday, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) denounced the killing of five members of the press in an Israeli airstrike at Southern Gaza’s Nasser Hospital.

The CPJ called for the international community to prevent further unlawful attacks on journalists with impunity. CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah condemned the military action.

“Israel’s broadcasted killing of journalists in Gaza continues while the world watches and fails to act firmly on the most horrific attacks the press has ever faced in recent history,” she said.

The journalists, identified as Hussam Al-Masri, Mohammed Salama, Mariam Abu Dagga, Ahmed Abu Aziz, and Moaz Abu Taha, were killed by an Israeli “double strike” on the hospital. Al-Masri was killed in the first strike while documenting for Reuters on the hospital roof.

After the initial strike, press members and medical workers attended the scene. Approximately 10 minutes later, another strike was launched, killing 20 people, including medical staff, civilians receiving care, and more journalists. 50 others were injured. Local news outlet Al-Ghad TV captured live footage of the attack, showing the journalists and medical workers hit by the second strike on the hospital staircase.

The attack marks the second instance this month where journalists have been killed, following Israel’s targeted strike on Al-Jazeera journalists on August 10.

UN Human Rights Office for the High Commissioner (OHCHR) Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan commented that these unacceptable attacks on journalists should “shock the world, not into stunned silence, but into action, demanding accountability and justice.” He reminded the international community of the importance of journalists and their protection, that “these journalists are the eyes and the ears of the whole world and they must be protected.”

The UN has also called for investigations into the incident, as targeted attacks on both hospitals and journalists are “forbidden under international law.” UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the “horrific killings highlight the extreme risks that medical personnel and journalists face as they carry out their vital work amid this brutal conflict.” The World Health Organization condemned the targeted Israeli attacks on Gaza’s healthcare facilities.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) responded in a statement on X, expressing regret “for any injury among non-involved parties,” asserting that it does not target journalists and works to minimize harm “while continuing to maintain the security of its forces.”

The CPJ reported that at least 197 journalists and media workers have been killed “since the start of the war, 189 of them Palestinians killed by Israel in Gaza.”

Targeting hospitals, healthcare workers, civilians, and the press are violations of international humanitarian law. The Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 protects civilians during times of war. Special provisions under Protocol I for Articles 15, 79, and 76-77 issue “special protections for women, children and civilian medical personnel, and measures of protection for journalists.”