One Year On, No Accountability for Deadly Nasser Hospital Strike

A year has passed since a double Israeli strike on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis killed 22 Palestinians, including journalists and rescue workers. Yet, no one has faced accountability for the deaths.

Among the dead were Hussam al-Masri, a cameraman providing a live feed, and Mariam Dagga, a visual journalist who worked for multiple outlets. The strikes occurred on August 25, 2025, with the second blast hitting as journalists and first responders rushed to help after the first.

The Israeli military stated it targeted what it believed was a Hamas surveillance camera, but provided no evidence. It claimed a towel covering the camera was an attempt at concealment. However, al-Masri routinely covered his camera to protect it from sun and dust.

The military also alleged six of the dead were linked to Hamas, again without evidence. An Israeli soldier, speaking anonymously, now says the military could not find such a link and that none of the six were the intended target.

Despite repeated requests, the army has not shared details of its investigation or a timeline for its completion. Rights groups note that Israel rarely holds troops accountable for killing Palestinians, with investigations often dragging on without prosecution.

Questions remain about why troops failed to identify the cameraman, given journalists were known to work at the hospital, and why a second strike was launched, raising accusations of a "double tap" attack on first responders, which could constitute a war crime.

The lack of answers has been agonizing for families. The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that more than 200 Palestinian journalists have been killed by Israel in Gaza since the war began in October 2023. Dagga is survived by her 14-year-old son and her father.