DaysofPal- The Israeli double strike on Nasser Governmental Hospital in southern Gaza has sparked international condemnation after killing more than twenty civilians, including five journalists from major agencies such as Associated Press, Reuters, NBC, and Al Jazeera. Observers consider the attack a clear war crime on multiple levels.
The British newspaper The Guardian reported that the first strike targeted the hospital’s fourth floor, followed by a second strike after paramedics and journalists had gathered at the site.
This “double strike” tactic increases casualties and deliberately hits groups protected under international humanitarian law: civilians, rescue workers, and patients.
Despite attempts by the Israeli occupation army to portray the strike as a “tragic mistake,” the newspaper noted that repeated operations suggest deliberate policy, as the combination of targeting a hospital, killing journalists, and re-striking the wounded all occurred in a single attack.
Outcry from the United Nations
Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated that the continued killing of journalists in Gaza “should shock the world,” emphasizing that neither journalists nor hospitals are legitimate targets.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that repeated attacks on medical facilities exacerbate the humanitarian disaster, restricting access to health care, and called for an immediate halt to the strikes.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy described the incident as “horrific,” while UNRWA Commissioner Philippe Lazzarini denounced the “astonishing silence” of the international community, accusing the Israeli occupation of attempting to silence witnesses documenting the deaths of children amid famine.
Double-Strike Policy and Targeting Rescue Teams
A joint investigation by Israeli +972 Magazine and Local Call network in July revealed that the Israeli occupation’s army routinely conducts follow-up strikes at sites of initial attacks, resulting in repeated deaths of paramedics and volunteers.
A source involved in operational planning stated: “If a high-ranking leader is targeted, a second strike ensures rescue efforts fail. First responders and medics are deliberately killed before the second strike.”
Previous reports documented the deaths of dozens of rescue teams after being targeted immediately upon arrival at initial strike sites.
War on the Press
This attack is part of a wider policy targeting journalists in Gaza, where over 225 journalists have been killed since the start of the war.
The assassination of Al Jazeera correspondent Anas Al-Sharif weeks ago exemplified this trend, described by the Committee to Protect Journalists as a “deliberate killing,” following direct threats from the Israeli army.
Heavy Conclusions
UN officials believe the Nasser Hospital attack is not isolated but part of an organized policy aimed at silencing witnesses of famine and crimes in Gaza.
Medical organizations such as Doctors Without Borders warned that destroying healthcare facilities and assassinating journalists and paramedics has become a deliberate strategy that amplifies civilian suffering.
Gaza emergency coordinator Jerome Grimo expressed sorrow over the death of journalist Mariam Daqqa, affirming that it reflects “an ongoing attempt to bury the truth under the rubble.”
The Guardian concluded that the attack clearly shows that the Israeli state is targeting the right to life and the right to truth simultaneously.
The double strike not only killed patients, medics, and journalists but sent a clear message that every witness to crimes in Gaza will themselves become a legitimate target.
Meanwhile, the international community remains limited to diplomatic statements.
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