At least fifteen people, including four journalists, have been killed after an Israeli airstrike on a hospital in southern Gaza.

The Gaza health ministry said there had been two strikes - the first on the fourth floor of the Nasser Hospital, while the second blast came as ambulance crews attempted to retrieve the injured and dead. Health workers and journalists are reported to be among the dead, including an Al Jazeera and NBC reporter. "The number of journalist martyrs rises to 244 after the announcement of the martyrdom of four journalists in the targeting of Nasser Hospital," Gaza's Government Media Office said in a statement.

Palestinians gather outside Nasser hospital after the attack (

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It named the deceased reporters as Reuters photojournalist Hossam Al-Masri, Al Jazeera photojournalist Mohammed Salama, Mariam Abu Daqa, who worked with several media outlets including The Independent Arabic and Associated Press, and NBC journalist Moaz Abu Taha. "The journalist colleagues were martyred when the Israeli occupation committed a horrific crime by bombing a group of journalists who were on a press coverage mission at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis Governorate and many martyrs fell victim to this crime.

"We hold the Israeli occupation, the American administration, and the countries participating in the genocide crime such as the United Kingdom, Germany, and France fully responsible for committing these heinous brutal crimes."

At least 15 people have been killed in the airstrike (

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It comes just weeks after five Al Jazeera employees, described as among the "last remaining voices within Gaza", were killed in an Israeli attack that sparked global outrage. Correspondents Anas Al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh, camera operators Ibrahim Zaher and Moamen Aliwa, and their assistant Mohammed Noufal, died on Sunday following a strike on a tent near al Shifa Hospital in Gaza on August 10.

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