Shock and outrage spread worldwide after an Israeli strike hit Gaza’s Nasser Hospital on Monday, killing at least 20 people—including five journalists from international outlets like Reuters, Associated Press, and Al Jazeera.
The attack sparked an immediate wave of condemnation from journalist organizations, governments, and world leaders.
Journalists’ Voices: “An Open War on Free Media”
The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the killings, urging the global community to hold Israel accountable for what it called “continued unlawful attacks on the press.”
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate went further, calling the strike a “heinous crime” and warning that journalists were being deliberately targeted to silence their reporting.
Reactions From World Leaders
French President Emmanuel Macron called the attack “intolerable,” stressing that both civilians and journalists must always be protected.
Canada’s Foreign Ministry said it was “horrified,” condemning the strike as “unacceptable.”
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry demanded urgent international action, insisting that those responsible must not escape punishment.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, through spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, called the deaths “horrific” and pressed for an impartial investigation.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump, when asked about the attack, said he was “not happy about it” and added: “We have to end that whole nightmare.”
Human Rights and Aid Groups Speak Out
From the humanitarian front, the reactions were equally strong:
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MSF (Doctors Without Borders) said journalists and health workers were being deliberately silenced, declaring: “It must stop now.”
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WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus condemned the repeated strikes on health facilities and pleaded: “Stop attacks on health care. Ceasefire now!”
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UNRWA Chief Philippe Lazzarini warned that silencing reporters and aid workers only deepens the crisis, calling the situation “shocking” and demanding unrestricted humanitarian access.
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The Foreign Press Association in Jerusalem demanded answers from Israel, urging international leaders to act: “We cannot do it ourselves.”
“The World Must Not Stay Silent”
Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Commissioner, summed up the outrage:
“The killing of journalists in Gaza should shock the world—not into silence, but into action, demanding accountability and justice.”
The strike at Nasser Hospital is now seen as more than just another tragedy in the ongoing war. For many leaders and press groups, it is a defining moment—a reminder that journalists, doctors, and civilians must never be treated as targets.
