Foreign Press Association calls for “immediate explanation” from ‘Israel’ after reporters killed

The Foreign Press Association on Monday called for an "immediate explanation" from the ‘Israeli’ military and prime minister's office, after an ‘Israeli’ strike on a hospital killed five journalists.

"We demand an immediate explanation from the Israel Defense Forces and the Israeli prime minister's office. We call on Israel once and for all to halt its abhorrent practice of targeting journalists," the group said in a statement.

Hospital Strike 

Gaza's civil defence agency said five journalists were among at least 20 people killed Monday when ‘Israeli’ strikes hit a hospital in the south, with ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claiming to regret the "tragic mishap".

Reuters, the Associated Press and Al Jazeera all issued statements mourning their slain contributors, while the ‘Israeli’ military said it would investigate the incident.

The ongoing war on Gaza has been one of the deadliest for journalists, with around 200 media workers killed over the course of the nearly two-year ‘Israeli’ assault, according to media watchdogs.

Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal said "the toll is 20 martyrs, including five journalists and one member of the civil defence", after strikes hit Khan Yunis's Nasser Hospital – a large medical complex that has been targeted several times by ‘Israel’ since the start of the war.

In a statement, the ‘Israeli’ military said its troops had "carried out a strike in the area of Nasser Hospital".

"The Chief of the General Staff instructed to conduct an initial inquiry as soon as possible," it said, adding it "regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals and does not target journalists as such".

Bassal said an ‘Israeli’ explosive drone hit a building at the hospital, followed by an air strike as the wounded were being evacuated.

Netanyahu said in a statement Monday evening that ‘Israel’ "deeply regrets the tragic mishap that occurred today at the Nasser Hospital".

"Israel values the work of journalists, medical staff, and all civilians," he further claimed.