Listen: Why Israel’s Gaza hospital strike could constitute multiple war crimes

On Monday morning, Israeli forces launched not one, but two strikes on Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. The first hit just after 10am. Then, around ten minutes later, as journalists and medics rushed to the scene, a second strike hit the same spot.

At least twenty people were killed. Among them: five journalists and four health workers. The journalists were working for outlets including Reuters, the Associated Press, Al Jazeera, Middle East Eye and others.

But, how is Israel justifying this latest attack, one that, on many fronts, may amount to a war crime?

Production: By Europod, in co-production with Sphera Network.

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You can find the transcript here if you prefer reading:

On Monday morning, Israeli forces launched not one, but two strikes on Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. The first hit just after 10am. Then, around ten minutes later, as journalists and medics rushed to the scene, a second strike hit the same spot. But, how is Israel justifying this latest attack, one that, on many fronts, may amount to a war crime?

Welcome to Long Story Short, Europod’s daily podcast that breaks down what matters most, in just five minutes. I’m Evi Kiorri, here to make Europe’s latest, long story… short.

At least twenty people were killed. Among them: five journalists and four health workers. The journalists were working for outlets including Reuters, the Associated Press, Al Jazeera, Middle East Eye and others. One of them, Reuters cameraman Husam al-Masri, had been operating a live feed used by newsrooms around the world at the moment he was killed.

Footage and eyewitness accounts confirm what is often referred to as a “double tap” strike, which means that the first blast causes casualties, and the second deliberately targets those who come to help.

The World Health Organization has verified that the hospital’s emergency department, surgical ward and staircases were damaged. Its director described the situation as “horrific,” stressing that Gaza’s already crippled health system cannot withstand repeated attacks on hospitals.

Israel called the incident a “tragic mishap” and said an investigation is under way. But this explanation sits uneasily alongside what we already know: more than 190 journalists have been killed during this war, nearly all of them Palestinians. The World Health Organization says Gaza’s healthcare system is being systematically crippled, and the UN has condemned repeated attacks on hospitals and medical workers.

Now the International humanitarian law is crystal clear: hospitals are not targets. Journalists are not targets. Rescue workers are not targets. Yet in this case, all three were hit at once and with a double hit, which makes the Israeli allegations of a “tragic mishap” very difficult to believe. And in this case each violation on its own would raise accusations of a war crime. Taken together, they suggest something much darker, systematic targeting of the very people trying to save lives and bear witness.

Because local journalists in Gaza are the only eyes and ears inside and play a crucial role documenting all that is happening on the ground. Israel does not allow international media into Gaza. Foreign outlets rely on these local reporters to provide footage, images, and testimony. Silencing them goes beyond violating the international humanitarian law, it means controlling the narrative and shutting down the outside world.

Is there anything we can expect on this?

So far, the reaction has been strong on words, weak on action as per usual. UN Secretary General António Guterres called the strike “horrific.” Britain’s foreign secretary David Lammy said he was “horrified” and demanded a ceasefire. France and Germany expressed shock. And the Committee to Protect Journalists said Israel’s deliberate targeting of reporters amounts to murder.

But will there be accountability? Israel has promised an internal investigation, though critics point out that such inquiries rarely lead to justice. Media organisations are calling this a watershed moment but that depends on whether governments act on their outrage, or whether this too fades into the background of a war where civilian deaths have become routine headlines.

At the same time, inside Israel, protests are growing. Families of hostages accuse Prime Minister Netanyahu of prolonging the war for political survival and pressure is mounting from both inside and outside the country. But for now, the war continues, and the death toll keeps rising.

But that’s all for today on Long Story Short, a podcast by Europod in partnership with the Sphera Network. You can also find us on the EUobserver website, go check it out. Thanks for listening.

I’m Evi Kiorri, and I’ll be back tomorrow at 12:30 with more insights in just five minutes. See you then!