Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement expressing its deep regret for the inadvertent killing of civilians in Gaza, including several journalists, at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern part of the Strip on Monday.
Reuters reported that at least 20 people were killed, including five journalists who worked for its outlet, the Associated Press and Al Jazeera, among others.
“Israel values the work of journalists, medical staff and all civilians. The military authorities are conducting a thorough investigation,” the PMO said.
“Our war is with Hamas terrorists. Our just goals are defeating Hamas and bringing our hostages home,” it added.
Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, said: “I would like to be clear from the start—the IDF does not intentionally target civilians.”
He acknowledged there was an airstrike near Nasser Hospital and that there were reports of civilian casualties, including journalists.
Israel’s military is operating in an extremely complex reality, Defrin stated, in which Hamas terrorists deliberately use civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, as cover. They have operated from the Nasser hospital itself.
In May, the IDF carried out a precision strike targeting Hamas terrorists inside the Nasser Hospital. According to the IDF, the hospital compound was being used as a command-and-control center for planning and executing attacks against Israeli civilians and military personnel.
Defrin stated that Hamas bore ultimate responsibility for starting the war and prolonging it by continuing to hold hostages in the Gaza Strip, emphasizing that the IDF will do its duty to investigate the incident in line with international law. He said the chief of staff had ordered an immediate inquiry into the event.
“Reporting from an active warzone carries immense risk, especially in a war with a terrorist organization such as Hamas, which cynically hides behind the civilian population. As always, we will present our findings as transparently as possible,” Defrin said.
“We regret any harm to uninvolved individuals, and are committed to continue fighting Hamas while taking all the necessary precautions,” he concluded.
