Palestinian journalist Hussam Al-Masri, a Reuters contractor, was murdered in an Israeli strike on Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, on August 25, 2025.
Al-Masri; Al Jazeera camera operator Mohammed Salama; Mariam Abu Dagga, freelance photojournalistwith Independent Arabia and the Associated Press; freelance journalist Ahmed Abu Aziz who contributes to Quds Feed, and freelance video journalist Moaz Abu Taha, were among at least 20 people killed in two Israeli strikes on the Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, on Monday morning. Al-Masri was killed in the first strike, while the others were killed while covering the aftermath of the previous Israeli strike.
Israel’s Israel Hayom said, “A security source told the newspaper Israel Hayom today [Monday] that the reason for the attack on the Khan Yunis hospital was the presence of a camera on the hospital roof, which Hamas members were using to document IDF forces. The forces received permission to neutralize the camera, but the incident escalated into a wider incident.”
The Reuters live video feed from the hospital, which was operated by Al-Masri, suddenly shut down at the moment of the initial strike, the wire said.
CPJ emailed the IDF’s North America Media Desk to request comment on the killings and additional details on the strike on the hospital, but did not immediately receive any response.
IDF Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee posted on X that the Chief of Staff, General Eyal Zamir, demanded an investigation into the attack on Monday. Adraee added, “The IDF expresses regret for any injury to uninvolved personnel. It does not target journalists as such and works as much as possible to minimize harm to them, while continuing to maintain the security of its forces.”
CPJ’s research shows that this killing meets the organization’s definition of “murder.” Under CPJ’s criteria, a journalist’s death is classified as "murder" when there is reasonable evidence that they were killed in direct retaliation for their work.
The location of the strike, the top of an outdoor staircase, was a known journalist meeting point. The Israeli military said they targeted a Hamas camera in the strike, but a Reuters report said the camera actually belonged to the news agency. In light of this information, CPJ finds that the journalist was targeted because of his journalism.