‘Stop Attacks on Healthcare’ – WHO Chief’s Call After Israel Bombs Nasser Hospital

August 25, 2025

The moment Israeli occupation forces bombed the Nasser Medical Complex. (Photo: video grab)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Gaza’s Health Ministry said the Israeli army hit the fourth floor of one of the complex’s buildings with two airstrikes, noting that the second strike occurred as rescue teams arrived to evacuate the wounded and recover the dead.

The World Health Organization (WHO) chief has urged Israel to stop attacks on health care following strikes on Nasser Medical Complex in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday, which killed at least 20 Palestinians, including five journalists.

“While people in Gaza are being starved, their already limited access to health care is being further crippled by repeated attacks. We cannot say it loudly enough: STOP attacks on health care. Ceasefire now!” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X.

He confirmed that the WHO had received reports of two strikes on the medical facility, “resulting in the deaths of at least 20 people, including four health workers and five journalists.”

Fifty others were injured, among them critically ill patients who were already receiving care, he stated.

“The hospital’s main building, which houses the emergency department, inpatient ward, and surgical unit, was hit. The strike damaged the emergency staircase,” Ghebreyesus added.

Second Strike on Rescue Teams

The Gaza Health Ministry said the Israeli army hit the fourth floor of one of the complex’s buildings with two airstrikes, noting that the second strike occurred as rescue teams arrived to evacuate the wounded and recover the dead.

According to the Anadolu news agency, the official Palestine TV reported that among the deceased was its cameraman Hussam al-Masri, while Al Jazeera confirmed that its photojournalist Mohammad Salama was also killed.

A medical source also confirmed the death of photojournalist Mariam Abu Dagga. Photojournalist Moaz Abu Taha was also killed in the Israeli strike targeting the hospital.

Medical sources also confirmed to Anadolu that Ahmed Abu Aziz, a freelance reporter with Tunisian and Moroccan news sites, died of injuries he sustained in the Israeli strike.

More than 240 journalists have been killed during Israel’s ongoing genocidal assault on Gaza since October 2023, making the enclave the deadliest place in the world for media workers.

According to Gaza’s Civil Defense, one of its members was killed and seven others were injured while trying to evacuate the wounded and retrieve bodies from the rubble.

Guterres Urges Investigation

The spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the UN chief condemned the killing of Palestinians in the Israeli airstrikes on the hospital.

“These latest horrific killings highlight the extreme risks that medical personnel and journalists face as they carry out their vital work amid this brutal conflict,” Stéphane Dujarric stated at a press briefing on Monday.

He said the Secretary-General recalls that civilians, including medical personnel and journalists, must be respected and protected at all times and called for “a prompt, and impartial investigation into these killings.”

Staggering Death Toll

Since reneging on the ceasefire on March 18, Israel has continued its bloody aerial bombardment across the Gaza Strip, killing and wounding thousands of Palestinians.

Starting on October 7, 2023, the Israeli military, with American support, launched a genocidal war against the people of Gaza. This campaign has so far resulted in the deaths of more than 62,700 Palestinians, with more than 158,000 wounded. The vast majority of the population has been displaced, and the destruction of infrastructure is unprecedented since World War II. Thousands of people are still missing.

In addition to the military assault, the Israeli blockade has caused a man-made famine, leading to the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians—mostly children—with hundreds of thousands more at risk.

Despite widespread international condemnation, little has been done to hold Israel accountable. The nation is currently under investigation for genocide by the International Court of Justice, while accused war criminals, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, are officially wanted by the International Criminal Court.

(PC, Anadolu)