On 25 August 2025, Israeli forces carried out a double‑tap strike on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, killing a total of 22 people, including 33‑year‑old journalist Mari Mariam Abu Dagga, five journalists and five first responders. The attack occurred while she was covering the death of Reuters cameraman Hussam al‑Masri, who had been killed earlier in the same strike. The first explosion hit the hospital’s eastern stairwell, and a second shell struck minutes later, killing Abu Dagga and 12 other civilians.
Abu Dagga had worked as a photographer and journalist since 2016, covering conflicts across the Middle East. She joined Independent Arabia and the Associated Press during the 2021 Gaza conflict and continued reporting amid Israel’s intensified bombardment after the 7 October 2023 attacks. A mother of a 14‑year‑old son, Ghaith, who had been evacuated to the UAE a year earlier, she balanced her professional duties with caring for her ailing mother and father, who had received a kidney transplant from her.
Israel’s military said the target was a camera used by Hamas to observe IDF activity and identified six individuals as militants, but the Independent’s investigation, including forensic analysis of shell fragments and acoustic data, suggests the attack was a deliberate double‑tap that violated international humanitarian law. The Israeli military has not provided a substantive response, only noting that a review is ongoing under the General Staff Fact‑Finding and Assessment Mechanism.
Colleagues and family members describe Abu Dagga as a dedicated, compassionate reporter who put the suffering of civilians above her own safety. Despite the Independent’s findings, no accountability has been achieved, and the broader pattern of targeting journalists in Gaza remains unaddressed. The incident underscores the continued risk to media workers in the conflict and the need for clearer protection mechanisms.
