Condemns Attack On Nasser Hospital, EU Asks Israel To Respect International Humanitarian Law

JAKARTA - The European Union condemned Israel's attack on the Nasser Hospital Complex in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, which killed a number of civilians, including five journalists.

The European Union called the attack which also killed four health workers and a number of civilians unacceptable.

"Civil servants and journalists must be protected under international law," the European Union said in a statement on its website as quoted August 27.

"EU reiterated its call to Israel to respect international humanitarian law," the statement continued.

The European Union further asked Israel to ensure the attack was investigated, as Israeli authorities said a thorough investigation would be carried out.

"Too many people have died in this conflict," the EU said in a statement.

Israeli forces attacked the Nasser Hospital Complex in the south of the Gaza Strip on Monday, killing at least 20 people, including journalists working for Reuters, the Associated Press, Al Jazeera and other media.

Quoted from Reuters, the journalist killed in the attack included Reuters Hussam al-Masri cameraman Mariam Abu Dagga, who works freely for the Associated Press and other media, Mohammed Salama, who works for Al Jazeera, Qatar-based broadcaster Moaz Abu Taha, a freelance journalist who works with several news organizations including occasionally contributing to Reuters, and Ahmed Abu Aziz, a journalist for Middle East Eye.

The European Union expresses its solidarity with the families of the victims, the journalistic community, and all civilians in Gaza who continue to bear the worst consequences.

At least 47 Palestinians, including six journalists, were killed on Monday and dozens more injured in Israel's latest attack on the Gaza Strip, according to medics, quoted by Anadolu.

The Ministry of Health initially stated 20 people were killed, including five journalists and a firefighter, in Israeli airstrikes against Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, southern Gaza.

It said Israeli soldiers attacked the fourth floor of one of the complex buildings with two airstrikes, adding the second attack occurred when rescue teams arrived to evacuate injured and dead.

Separately, Gaza's Ministry of Health on Tuesday confirmed that the death toll from Palestine since October 2023 had reached 62,819 people, while the injured reached 158,629 people.

The ministry also reported three new deaths from hunger and malnutrition, including two children, bringing the total hunger-related deaths to 303, including 117 children.

The ministry also revealed that about 2,140 Palestinians had been killed and more than 15,737 others injured while seeking help since May 27.