AP and Reuters demand answers as Israel calls the incident a ’tragic mishap’ and orders an investigation.
Israeli airstrikes have hit one of the largest hospitals in the Gaza Strip on Aug. 25, killing several journalists.
Reuters said cameraman Hussam al-Masri, a Reuters contractor, and Mariam Dagga, a visual journalist with the Associated Press (AP), were among at least 20 killed in the strike on Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza.
In a joint letter, they said that “several” journalists were killed in the airstrikes.
The attack came as Israel prepares to expand its military offensive in the enclave, having earlier this month approved plans to take control of Gaza City despite international criticism.
Jerusalem has said its objectives are to secure the release of hostages still held by Hamas and to defeat the terrorist group.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office called the strike a “tragic mishap” that Israel “deeply regrets.”
“Israel values the work of journalists, medical staff, and all civilians. The military authorities are conducting a thorough investigation. Our war is with Hamas terrorists. Our just goals are defeating Hamas and bringing our hostages home,” Netanyahu said in a statement on Monday.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Gen. Effie Defrin confirmed the military was aware of reports that civilians, including journalists, were harmed.
In a statement on Monday, Defrin said that the IDF doesn’t intentionally target civilians.
“The IDF makes every effort to mitigate harm to civilians, while ensuring the safety of our troops. Any incident that raises concern in this regard is addressed by the relevant mechanisms in the IDF,” he said.
“We are operating in an extremely complex reality. Hamas terrorists deliberately use civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, as shields. They have even operated from the Nasser hospital itself.”
According to the IDF, Chief of the General Staff Eyal Zamir has directed an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the strike.
“Reporting from an active warzone carries immense risk, especially in a war with a terrorist organization such as Hamas, who cynically hides behind the civilian population. As always, we will present our findings as transparently as possible,” Defrin added.
AP and Reuters, in a joint letter to Israeli authorities on Monday, called for an explanation over the airstrikes that struck Nasser Hospital.
