Full story
Double-tap at Nasser Hospital
A year after Israeli soldiers killed 22 Palestinians, including journalists and rescue workers, in a double strike on Nasser Hospital in Gaza, no one has been held accountable.
“It’s been a year since Israeli soldiers killed 22 Palestinians”
AP reported that the first strike killed Reuters cameraman Hussam al-Masri and another person, and that as journalists including Mariam Dagga and rescue workers rushed up an external staircase, the military struck again, killing 20.
AP said Israeli officials claimed the target was a suspected Hamas camera on the roof of Nasser Hospital, and that Israeli officials afterward said Hamas was using the camera to observe nearby troops.
An Israeli soldier speaking to AP on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution said the military could find no evidence linking the camera, which belonged to al-Masri, to Hamas, and that none of the six was the intended target of the strikes.
The Israeli army said it was examining the incident and that findings would be transferred to the Military Advocate General’s Corps to reach a verdict on whether to open a criminal investigation, while not providing a timeline.
AP presses; soldier disputes
AP and Reuters released a statement calling again for Israel to provide a full explanation of the strikes and urging Israel to give journalists access to Gaza, with AP executive editor Julie Pace saying, "A year later, we remain devastated by their deaths and are still searching for answers from the Israeli authorities about what happened that day."
Sky News said Israeli officials claimed the target was a suspected Hamas observation camera on the roof of Nasser Hospital and that six of those killed were linked to the militant group, but did not provide evidence for either claim.
The Israeli soldier who spoke to AP said the military could find no evidence linking the camera, which belonged to al-Masri, to Hamas, and that none of the six was the intended target of the strikes.
Sky News reported that the IDF faced accusations of carrying out a "double tap" strike to target emergency workers who moved in to help the wounded after the initial strike.
The Palestinian ambassador to the UN condemned the attack on Nasser Hospital as "a premeditated strike on medics and journalists," according to Sky News.
War-crime allegations and next steps
The Independent’s investigation, as described by Middle East Eye, found that Israel probably committed war crimes in a double-tap attack on Nasser Hospital that killed Palestinian journalists, medics and first responders, and said the second strike was of particular concern.
“Israel probably committed war crimes in a double-tap attack”
Middle East Eye reported that the first strike hit Reuters cameraman Hussam al-Masri as he operated his camera, killing him, and that eight minutes later two more projectiles were fired from Israeli tanks at the group, with the second strike captured on live television.
In the same account, International law experts told The Independent that the attack raised serious concerns over potential war crimes, including the intentional targeting of civilians and the launching of a disproportionate attack.
A separate report in Ala-Ya'ina said British MPs urged the British government to increase penalties on Israel and halt trade, and quoted Sarah Champion calling for compliance with the Geneva Convention and questioning whether journalists can be considered legitimate targets.
Ala-Ya'ina also said the investigation found that the camera the Israeli army said was tied to Hamas was not, in fact, Hamas-linked, and that it was a live feed camera belonging to Reuters placed on the fourth floor of an external stairwell frequently used by journalists to film events and broadcast live.