US Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea has defended Israel’s airstrike on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza, which killed at least 20 people, including five journalists, saying the attack targeted Hamas operatives.
Speaking before the UN Security Council, Shea said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) investigation confirmed that six Hamas members were killed in the strike, including one allegedly involved in the October 7 attacks. She added that militants were using the hospital to monitor Israeli military movements.
“We understand that Israel has expressed deep regret for civilian casualties,” Shea stated. “We note the prompt nature of this investigation and call on the Council to condemn Hamas’s continued use of civilian infrastructure.”
Her comments echoed those of Israel’s UN ambassador Danny Danon, who said further details about the operation would be released soon. “Our goal is to fight terrorists, not journalists or uninvolved civilians,” Danon told reporters.
The IDF released a statement naming six Palestinians it identified as members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad killed in the strike. However, the five journalists who lost their lives—working with Reuters, Associated Press, and Al Jazeera—were not listed.
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The attack on Nasser Hospital has drawn widespread international concern, with critics highlighting the civilian death toll and the targeting of a protected medical facility. Israel continues to face scrutiny over its Gaza operations, particularly strikes that hit civilian infrastructure.
The Gaza conflict escalated after Hamas launched a deadly incursion into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, triggering months of fighting and heavy casualties on both sides.
