DID Press: One year after five Palestinian journalists were killed in an attack on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, questions over accountability for attacks on journalists in Gaza remain unresolved.
The deadly strike on the upper floor of the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis killed five Palestinian journalists: Mariam Abu Daqa, Hossam al-Masri, Mohammed Salameh, Moaz Abu Taha and Ahmed Abu Aziz.
The journalists were working at the time, documenting developments and the suffering of civilians in Gaza.
Reports said the attack on the medical complex was carried out in two stages, killing and wounding not only journalists but also emergency responders and other people at the site.
Mariam Abu Daqa, a Palestinian journalist and photographer who worked with several media outlets, including the Associated Press; Reuters photographer Hossam al-Masri; Al Jazeera cameraman Mohammed Salameh; freelance journalist Moaz Abu Taha, who also worked with NBC; and freelance journalist Ahmed Abu Aziz were among those killed.
The Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate condemned the attack, describing it as part of continuing violence and pressure against journalists working in Gaza.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has also reported a high number of journalists and media workers killed in Gaza and has documented attacks against members of the press.
A year later, the names of the five journalists remain among those killed in the Gaza war. They died while attempting to document events on the ground and bring the realities of the conflict to audiences around the world.
The continued lack of effective accountability for attacks against journalists has raised serious questions about the international community’s commitment to protecting journalists and safeguarding the public’s right to access information in conflict zones.
A year after the Nasser Hospital incident, journalists continue working in Gaza. But questions over accountability remain: When will those responsible for attacks on journalists and other civilians in Gaza be held accountable?