Three journalists among five killed in Israeli blow at Gaza Hospital

Five people were killed in an Israeli strike at Al-Ali Hospital in Gaza, according to the Church of England, which operates it.

The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem said that three journalists, a father accompanying his son to surgery, and another person died on Thursday morning when the hospital’s joint was struck.

He condemned “in the strongest possible conditions” of the attack, which also injured 30 observers, including four hospital officials. The Palestinian journalist union has accused Israel of “full war crime”.

The Israeli military said he “struck” the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PiJ) fighter operating from a command center in the hospital courtyard.

He came the same day as over 130 Global News and Press Freedom Organiations – including the BBC – called on international media to gain immediate access to gas and for Palestinian journalists to gain full protection.

“For 20 months, the Israeli authorities have refused to provide journalists with independent access to Gaza to the Palestinian territory – a situation that is without precedent in the modern war,” ” They wrote in a letter coordinated by the Committee for Protection of Journalists and Reporters without bordersS

“Local journalists, those who best positioned to tell the truth, face displacement and hunger. To date, nearly 200 journalists have been killed by Israeli military.

“Much more are injured and confronted with constant threats to their lives to do their work: a witness to a witness. This is a direct attack on freedom of print and the right of information.”

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military or government. Earlier, they denied that the Israeli forces had directed journalists.

The Palestinian journalist’s union said that the Israeli strike on the al-Ali hospital union is directly directed to a media tent.

Video shots showed medicines and other people who rushed to help the victims lying on the ground under a tree in a yard and transfer at least four of them to a medical tent.

“The Israeli drone suddenly attacked these colleagues,” Palestinian journalist Mohammed Ahmed told Reuters news agency at the scene. “Three of them (were) martyrdom, in addition to a number of martyrs among passers -by.”

“Israeli occupation forces are increasing their attacks against us as journalists, trying to prevent us from doing our work,” he said.

The journalist’s union identifies the three dead journalists such as Ismail Bada, an operator of the Pi-TV channel today, Soliman Hajai, editor of Palestine today, and Samir Al-Refai of The Shams News Network.

Another four journalists were injured, two of whom – today Palestine Imad Dalul and Ahmed Kalia, a TV operator, AL -RABY, based in Qatar, were in critical condition, the statement said.

The Israeli military said in a statement that “it was just hitting an Islamic jihad terrorist, who operated in a command and control center” in the hospital courtyard. He did not indicate the goal or did not provide evidence.

The military also accused the armed groups of using Al -Ali for “terrorist activity” and “cynical and brutal, using the civil population” inside – a claim it denied.

In April, employees at Al-Ali Hospital said an Israeli strike destroyed his laboratory and damaged his emergency ward. They did not report direct victims, but said the child had died due to interruption of care. The Israeli military said it had hit the Hamas Command and Control Center.

Hospitals are specially protected under international humanitarian law. They lose this protection only in certain circumstances, including being used as a base from which to start an attack, as a weapon depot or to hide healthy fighters.

The Hamas Civil Protection Agency said the Israeli strikes killed at least 37 people in Gaza on Thursday. In addition to the city of Gaza, local media reported death in Jabalia and Bate Lahia to the north, and in Han Eunice to the south.

Also on Thursday, a controversial group for help in the United States and Israel working in Gaza, said it opened two of its distribution centers, the day after it closed them for “renewal”.

“In the last 24 hours, we have been fully focused on strengthening our distribution sites to guarantee a safe and more effective provision of life-saving assistance to Gaza people,” John Akre’s Temporary CEO John Akre said in a message from the Gaza Foundation.

On Wednesday, GHF announced that it was closing all its sites – three out of four of which worked – to make them “as fascinated” as a series of deadly incidents nearby.

Dozens of Palestinians have been killed in recent days as they approached one of the Rafa centers along a route that passes through an Israeli war zone.

Witnesses said the Israeli forces had opened fire on crowds seeking help.

The Israeli military denied that they had fired civilians in the center, but she said the troops fired at “suspects” who ignored warning shots and approached them.

GHF denied that someone was killed or wounded in his centers.

The group, which uses private security contractors, aims to circumvent the UN as a major assistant to help to the Palestinians.

The UN and other help groups refuse to cooperate with the new system, saying that it contradicts the humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality and independence.

They also warn that 2.1 million Gaza population is facing catastrophic starvation levels after almost a three -month -old common Israeli blockade, which was partially relieved two weeks ago.

The US and Israel say that the GHF system will prevent the help of being stolen by Hamas, which the group denies.

Separately Israeli military said it Restored the bodies of two Israelis returned to Gaza as hostages as During the attack led by Hamas against South Israel on October 7, 2023.

Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to the attack, which killed about 1,200 people and 251 others were taken hostage.

At least 54,677 people have been killed in Gaza ever since, according to the health ministry in the territory.