Israel says strike that killed journalists targeted a camera used by Hamas

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Israel's subject issued a connection Tuesday saying its preliminary probe into a onslaught the erstwhile time that killed astatine slightest 20 people, including 5 journalists, astatine the Nasser Hospital successful the confederate Gaza Strip had targeted a camera that it said was being utilized by Hamas for surveillance.

The Israel Defense Forces said troops successful Khan Younis identified a camera "being utilized to observe the enactment of IDF troops, successful bid to nonstop violent activities against them."

The IDF did not supply grounds to backmost the assertion, but said it was "further supported" by antecedently documented Hamas usage of hospitals "by the violent organizations passim the war, and by quality confirming Hamas' usage of the Nasser Hospital to transportation retired violent activities since the commencement of the war."

The Israeli military's mentation contrasted with a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a fewer hours aft the incident, expressing regret for what helium called a "tragic mishap," with nary proposition of a circumstantial Hamas people astatine the hospital.

"Israel values the enactment of journalists, aesculapian staff, and each civilians," Netanyahu's bureau said successful the connection released connected societal media. "The subject authorities are conducting a thorough investigation. Our warfare is with Hamas terrorists. Our conscionable goals are defeating Hamas and bringing our hostages home."

Farewell ceremonial held for 4 journalists killed successful Israeli onslaught successful Khan Yunis

In what witnesses described arsenic a double-tap onslaught by Israeli drones — with 1 rocket striking the infirmary followed by different arsenic radical gathered to measure the harm and be to the wounded — 5 Palestinian journalists were killed connected Monday.

Their identities were confirmed arsenic Hossam al-Masri, who worked for the Reuters quality agency, Mohammed Salama, who worked for Al Jazeera, and freelance journalists Maryam Abu Daqqa, Moaz Abu Taha and Ahmad Abu Aziz.

The Associated Press' quality manager for the Middle East, Jon Gambrell, said successful a social media post that Abu Daqqa had "freelanced for the AP since the Gaza warfare began."

Middle East Eye, a U.K.-based media outlet focusing connected the region, said Abu Aziz had been moving for the organization.

The onslaught was among the deadliest of respective that person deed hospitals and journalists implicit the people of the 22-month warfare successful Gaza, and it came arsenic Israel plans to widen its violative to heavy populated areas successful the densely populated Palestinian territory.

The archetypal onslaught deed a apical level of a gathering astatine Nasser Hospital. Minutes later, arsenic journalists and rescuers successful orangish vests rushed up an outer staircase to scope the country of the archetypal blast, a 2nd rocket hit, said Dr. Ahmed al-Farra, caput of Nasser's pediatrics department.

Israeli onslaught connected Gaza aesculapian analyzable kills 20, including 5 journalists

In a statement issued Monday, the Foreign Press Association, which represents journalists moving successful Israel and the Palestinian territories, said it was "outraged and successful shock" implicit the killings of media workers.

"This is among the deadliest Israeli attacks connected journalists moving for planetary media since the Gaza warfare began," the enactment said. "These strikes deed the exterior staircase of the infirmary wherever journalists often stationed themselves with their cameras. The strikes came with nary warning."

The IDF, successful its Tuesday statement, said Israeli forces, having identified the alleged surveillance camera, "operated to region the menace by striking and dismantling the camera and the enquiry showed that the troops operated to region the threat."

The IDF said six of those killed successful the onslaught "were terrorists, 1 of whom took portion successful the infiltration into Israeli territory connected October 7th. At the aforesaid time, the Chief of the General Staff regrets immoderate harm caused to civilians."

The IDF did not place the alleged terrorists killed successful the strike, oregon explicate the grounds utilized to marque the determination that they were terrorists. Nor did the IDF suggest thing had been deliberately targeted successful the onslaught different than the purported camera.

The subject said the main of unit had ordered further probe into some "the authorization process anterior to the strike, including the ammunition approved for the onslaught and the timing of the authorization," and the "decision making process successful the field."

President Trump, asked astir the deadly onslaught connected Monday, said helium had been unaware until the question was enactment to him.

"When did this happen?" Mr. Trump asked a newsman successful the White House. "I didn't cognize that. Well, I'm not blessed astir it. I don't privation to spot it. At the aforesaid time, we person to extremity that full nightmare."

Israel has travel nether mounting unit implicit the fig of journalists being killed successful its subject operations successful Gaza — including successful targeted strikes against individuals whom Israeli officials assertion were Hamas operatives.

At slightest 197 journalists and media workers person been killed successful Gaza, the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and successful Lebanon since Israel launched its warfare against Hamas successful Gaza successful retaliation for the Hamas-orchestrated violent onslaught connected Oct. 7, 2023, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

That warfare has killed much than 60,000 radical successful Gaza, according to the Palestinian enclave's Hamas-run Health Ministry, which does not separate betwixt civilians and combatants successful its figures. The Hamas-led onslaught astir 2 years agone killed 1,200 radical successful confederate Israel and saw 251 others taken arsenic hostages into Gaza.