Israel’s double-tap strike of five journalists is yet another example of its systematic targeting of journalists and healthcare system; sanctions urgently needed
London, 26th August 2025 – Yesterday, Israel killed twenty Palestinian people, including at least five journalists in a ‘double tap strike’ on Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis. The event follows a pattern of behaviour by Israel, targeting hospitals, healthcare workers and journalists. It has only been fifteen days since Israel killed six journalists, after striking a different hospital, Al-Shifa in Gaza City.
The journalists killed in yesterday’s strike worked with various international news outlets, including Associated Press, Al Jazeera, Middle East Eye and Reuters. Another journalist was separately killed in Khan Yunis on the same day.
Al Jazeera now reports that nearly 270 journalists have been killed by Israel since October 2023. This is nearly four times as many as were killed in the whole of the Second World War, which lasted more than three times longer than the current genocide in Gaza.
The UK must urgently implement sanctions on Israeli political and military leaders in a systematic manner to curtail the carte blanche impunity they have enjoyed since October 2023 which has enabled them to carry out war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocidal acts with impunity.
This latest example of systematic targeting of journalists and the healthcare system correlates closely with ICJP evidence collected by the ICJP Investigations Unit since October 2023, which has documented evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity conducted in Gaza.
Earlier this year, ICJP co-hosted a film screening with Middle East Eye, who some of the journalists killed yesterday worked for. The film, entitled: “Under Fire: Israel’s War on Medics” focused on Israel’s targeting of journalists, and it explained Israel’s practice of ‘double tap strikes’, a cruel irony following yesterday’s events.
‘Double tap strikes’ are when a target is bombed, which leads to journalists travelling to the area to report on the strike. The attacker then launches a second bombardment on the same area, in order to target journalists. This has been regularly used by Israel in Gaza and Lebanon since 2023, and before.
The World Health Organization also confirmed that four health-workers were also killed, who had arrived to help those targeted by the initial attack.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
- Details of ICJP x MEE event on systematic targeting of journalists available here.
- The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians is an independent organisation of lawyers, politicians and academics who support the rights of Palestinians and aim to protect their rights through the law.
- For more information, to arrange an interview with a spokesperson, or to view a full copy of the letter, please contact the ICJP news desk at press@icjpalestine.com.
- Photo Credits: Jaber Jehad Badwan