Israeli airstrike kills Reuters photographer

By Sharon Kimathi, Energy and ESG Editor, Reuters Digital

Hello,

Today's newsletter focuses on the tragedy at Nasser hospital in the south of the Gaza Strip where an Israeli strike hit on Monday, killing at least 20 people, including five journalists who worked for Reuters, the Associated Press, Al Jazeera and others.

Cameraman Hussam al-Masri, a Reuters contractor, was killed near a live broadcasting position operated by Reuters on an upper floor just below the roof of the hospital in Khan Younis in an initial strike, Palestinian health officials said.

Photographer Hatem Khaled, also a Reuters contractor, was wounded.

Reuters editor-in-chief Alessandra Galloni and the Associated Press executive editor Julie Pace wrote a joint letter to Israeli officials to demand a clear explanation for airstrikes that killed journalists in Gaza.

"We are outraged that independent journalists were among the victims of this strike on the hospital, a location that is protected under international law. These journalists were present in their professional capacity, doing critical work bearing witness," the letter said. Click here to read the letter in full.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Israel deeply regretted what he called a "tragic mishap" as its military, the Israel Defense Forces, said "it does not target journalists as such". 

As a reminder, the Sustainable Switch newsletter covers all things environment, social and governance (ESG). This would fall under the 'S' in ESG banner as workers' rights, the right to press freedom, journalists' safety and the right to access information is intrinsically linked to that pillar, according to the United Nations' sustainable development goals eight, 16 and target 10. Click here to read more about them on the U.N. site.

A man holds the gear of Reuters cameraman Hussam al-Masri, killed with other journalists in Israeli strikes on Nasser hospital, Gaza. Image filmed by Reuters' Hatem Khaled, later wounded in another strike. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled

Mariam Abu Dagga, who freelanced for the Associated Press and other outlets, Mohammed Salama, who worked for Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera, Moaz Abu Taha, a freelance journalist who worked with several news organizations including Reuters, and Ahmed Abu Aziz were also killed in the airstrike.

In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the Palestinian presidency urged the international community, particularly the U.N. Security Council and the United Nations, to provide protection for journalists and hold Israel accountable.

Israel has barred all foreign journalists from entering the Gaza Strip since the start of the war in 2023.

Reporting from the territory throughout the war has been done by Palestinian journalists, many of whom have worked for many years for international media organizations, including wire services such as Reuters and the Associated Press.

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate condemned Israel for the strikes, saying it represented "an open war against free media, with the aim of terrorizing journalists and preventing them from fulfilling their professional duty of exposing its crimes to the world".

The syndicate said more than 240 Palestinian journalists had been killed by Israeli fire in Gaza since the war started on October 7, 2023.

The Committee to Protect Journalists, which put the number of journalists and media workers killed since the war began at 197 including 189 Palestinians in Gaza, called for "the international community to hold Israel accountable for its continued unlawful attacks on the press".

Two weeks ago, Israel killed prominent Al Jazeera correspondent Anas Al-Sharif and four other journalists in a strike. In that attack, Israel acknowledged targeting Sharif and said he worked for the Hamas militant group, which the broadcaster has vehemently denied.

Israel has also separately said it is investigating the death of Issam Abdallah, a Reuters journalist killed in southern Lebanon by Israeli tank fire in October 2023 after the Gaza conflict erupted. Israel has not announced any findings.

Press freedom group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) called for a robust international response.

Thibaut Bruttin, director of RSF, said the third floor of the hospital targeted in the strike was known to be a workspace for journalists. 

"There is international law. There are guarantees that should be granted to journalists covering conflicts, and none of that seems to be applying," Bruttin said.

Reuters and other news providers often deliver live video feeds to media outlets worldwide during major news events to show the scene from the ground in real time.

Reuters has frequently broadcast a feed from Nasser hospital during the Gaza conflict, and for the past several weeks has been delivering daily feeds from the Nasser hospital position that was hit.

Israel has denied deliberately targeting journalists.

Click here to read more reactions from world leaders and journalist groups and click here for the latest news on the Reuters live feed as the story develops.

Palestinians wait to receive food from a charity kitchen, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled

In light of Monday's events, we will not publish an ESG Lens or Spotlight today, out of respect for the tragic loss of our colleague.

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