Six Palestinian terrorists killed in Israeli offensive against Nasser hospital in Gaza

Preliminary results of the investigation into the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) attack on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza have recently been released by the Israeli Army, Jewish state media reported.

According to the IDF spokesman's official statement, the attack targeted a surveillance camera installed by Hamas at the hospital, which was suspected of being used to monitor the activities of Israel's troops and direct terrorist operations, Israeli newspaper Ynet indicated.

The IDF's initial investigation, presented to Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and by Southern Command commander Yaniv Asor, revealed that Golani Brigade forces, operating in the area to neutralize terrorist infrastructure, did not have the necessary authorization for the attack and used projectiles instead of precision weaponry, in violation of military protocols. Zamir ordered further investigation to clarify flaws in the authorization process and in decision-making on the ground.

Human shields

Nasser Hospital, like other medical facilities, is classified by the IDF as a "sensitive site" that can only be targeted under exceptional circumstances and with the approval of a high-ranking officer. However, the Israeli military maintains that Hamas systematically uses civilian facilities, such as hospitals, for military activities, including intelligence gathering and planning attacks.

According to the statement, six of the 20 killed in the attack were Hamas members, including one who participated in the October 7 massacre in Israel. Despite this, Zamir expressed regret for the civilian casualties.

The attack has generated strong international media coverage. Media outlets such as BBC, The Washington Post, The New York Times, CNN and CBS highlighted the deaths of journalists, some of whom worked for agencies such as AP and Reuters.

It should be noted that, in the past, some journalists working in Gaza had also engaged in terrorist activities against Israel.

A complex conflict

Before the preliminary results of the IDF investigation were released, the Office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement in English deploring the incident as an accidental tragedy and emphasizing that Israel values the work of journalists and medical professionals. The statement also reaffirmed that Israel's goal is to defeat Hamas and free the 50 hostages the group still holds.

This incident has reignited debate about the complexities of the conflict in Gaza, where Hamas tactics, which uses civilians as human shields in densely populated environments and sometimes generate tragic consequences for the civilian population. Ongoing investigations will be key to determining responsibility and preventing future similar incidents.