An Israeli airstrike on the Nasser Hospital complex in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, killed at least 20 people on Monday, among them five journalists who had been working for outlets including Reuters, the Associated Press, Al Jazeera and NBC, according to Palestinian health officials and the news organisations. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement saying Israel "deeply regrets the tragic mishap" and that the Israel Defense Forces value the work of journalists, medical staff and all civilians. The military said it does not intentionally target reporters or other non-combatants and that the IDF chief of staff has ordered an immediate investigation into how the strike was authorised and carried out. The incident adds to mounting concern over the safety of media workers in the nearly two-year-old war. The Committee to Protect Journalists says roughly 192 Palestinian reporters have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7 2023, a toll it describes as unprecedented. International press-freedom groups, the United Nations and several foreign governments called for a transparent inquiry after Monday’s attack. Israeli officials reiterated that their campaign is directed at Hamas, accusing the militant group of operating from civilian infrastructure such as hospitals. Critics argue that repeated strikes on medical facilities and news crews undermine Israel’s assertions and heighten pressure for stronger safeguards and accountability.