Israeli strike on Gaza hospital kills 14 including journalists, reports claim

At least 14 people were killed by an Israeli strike on a hospital in Khan Younis on Monday, according to reports from the scene, including journalists and camera operators working for Associated Press, Reuters and Al Jazeera.

An Israeli strike hit a hospital in southern Gaza, killing at least 14 people, including four journalists, media reports and health workers said.The Associated Press reported one of its freelancers, Mariam Abu Daqa, was among those killed in the Nasser Hospital strike. Daqa was the news agency's stringer in the Strip since the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza began.Al Jazeera confirmed that its journalist Mohammed Salama was also among the dead. Reuters reported its contractor camera operator Hossam al-Masri was killed, while agency photographer Hatem Khaled was wounded. NBC has yet to comment on the death of Moaz Abu Taha, its journalist in the Strip.The hospital in Khan Younis was struck twice, according to reports.Neither Israel’s military nor the prime minister’s office immediately responded to questions about the strike. Israeli strikes and raids on hospitals are not uncommon. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) claims its attacks target militants operating inside the medical facilities, using them as cover for their activities.The ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza has been one of the bloodiest conflicts for media workers. At least 192 journalists have been killed in the 22-month war, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Further deaths were reported in Gaza on Monday, including three Palestinians, including a child, who were killed in a strike on a neighbourhood in Gaza City. Al-Awda Hospital reported that at least six people were killed and 15 were injured after Israeli troops opened fire near them while they were trying to reach an aid distribution point in central Gaza. The Israeli military did not release a comment at this time.