A physician at Nasser Hospital in Gaza believes that the journalists killed in recent Israeli strikes were intentionally targeted. The hospital itself was struck in the attack.

At least 20 people, including five journalists, died in the strikes. The journalists were affiliated with reuters, Associated Press, and Al Jazeera.

The journalists have been identified as mariam abu dagga, mohammed salama, moaz abu taha, Ahmed abu Aziz, and Hussam Al-Masri. Photographer Hatem Khaled sustained injuries.

Dr. Ahmed Al Farra, Head of the Paediatric and Maternity Department at Nasser Hospital, described the events as “astonishing,” stating the attackers “know who’s where in that area.”

“They know that they are trying to help and evacuate their colleagues,” Dr. Al Farra stated on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.

“It is indeed intentional as some of the occupational leaders, when they were investigated yesterday or asked why they did it, they said they had commands and orders from their leaders.”

“This is executing and killing someone,” he added.

“This is not something sporadic, or isolated. It is indeed something planned.”

The Managing Director of Al Jazeera has called for an independent review into the “killings” of journalists in Gaza.

Mohamed Moaward paid tribute to his “brave colleague” Mohammad Salama, a photo journalist for Al Jazeera.

Mr. Moaward said that Mr. Salama was “killed while trying to help another journalist colleague from Reuters who had been struck down while live streaming from Nasser hospital.”

“He wasn’t only a journalist with a camera but a human being whose first instinct was to protect others. That’s why he rushed to help his colleague when he was struck down,” he said.

“Even in the face of danger, he died as he lived with courage and compassion.”

Mr. moaward shared that Mr. Salama was to be married in two days.”Now he’s leaving behind his fiancée,” he said. “She is in shock. We are all in shock.”

He added that the press convoy believed being near the hospital offered a degree of safety.

“The airstrike by the IDF targeted them in the hospital,” he stated.

Mr. Moaward emphasized that Mr. Salama was “really committed to the story – to covering what’s happening in Gaza and uncovering the atrocities”.

“The loss of Mohamad comes after the loss of many others in our profession in Gaza,” Mr. Moaward said.

He commended the local journalists in Gaza for being “brave” and continuing their coverage despite the devastating losses.

“The airstrike by the IDF targeted them in the hospital,” said Mohamed Moaward,Managing Director of Al Jazeera.

Mr.Moaward said that journalist Mariam Abu Dagga, a freelancer for Associated Press, “gave a voice to the voiceless.”

He revealed that Ms.Abu Dagga left a will for her colleagues two days before her death and wrote a letter to her 11-year-old son, urging him not to cry and expressing her pride in him.

Mr. Moaward said Ms.Abu Dagga wished to be remembered as a “brave journalist who refused to back down despite the danger, despite the intimidation from the israeli government”.

“Every time they [Israel] come up with a different story. They are saying that they regret the ambush,” he said.

“I think this time; they were in a hot spot because this was live streamed on air.”

“They have killed 240 journalists now.”

“We continue to pursue all legal actions. We certainly know that accountability must happen in the future.”