International outrage over hospital strike

The United Nations demanded Tuesday that Israel ensure accountability for Monday's attack at Gaza’s Nasser Hospital, which witnesses described as a 'double-tap' strike: an initial hit on the hospital followed by a second that killed rescuers.

“This incident and the killing of all civilians, including journalists, must be thoroughly and independently investigated, and justice must follow,” said UN rights office spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan. He noted that 247 Palestinian journalists have been killed since the war began in October 2023.

China said it was “shocked” by the strike, urging Israel to halt its military operations, restore humanitarian access, and prevent a wider crisis. Major outlets including Reuters, the Associated Press, and Al Jazeera mourned their slain contributors, while the Israel-based Foreign Press Association called for an immediate explanation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed “deep regret” and described the deaths as a “tragic mishap.” The Israeli military confirmed it struck in the hospital’s vicinity but has released no further details beyond pledging an inquiry. Critics note that past Israeli investigations into journalist deaths rarely produced concrete results.

Protests in Israel continue

At home, Netanyahu faced a separate wave of pressure as families of Israeli hostages launched a nationwide “Day of Disruption” on Tuesday, blocking roads in Tel Aviv and other cities, and staging rallies outside government offices.

“For 690 days, the government has been waging a war without a clear objective,” said Einav Zangauker, whose son remains captive in Gaza. Protesters demanded clarity on how hostages will be freed, who will govern Gaza once the fighting ends, and how Israel itself will move forward.

Escalation on the ground

Meanwhile, fighting in Gaza showed no sign of easing. Residents reported heavy bombardment overnight Monday into Tuesday in the Gaza City suburbs of Sabra, Shejaia, and Tuffah, as well as in Jabalia to the north. Local health authorities said 34 Palestinians were killed in overnight strikes, 18 of them in Gaza City.

The bombardment forced more families to flee Gaza City on Tuesday morning. Witnesses said residents packed into vehicles or fled on foot, moving westward toward the city centre and coastal areas or further south to Al-Muwasi near Khan Younis. “Earthquakes, we call it — they want to scare people to leave their homes,” said Ismail, a 40-year-old resident. Around half of Gaza’s two million people still live in the city, but displacement is accelerating as Israeli forces prepare a new offensive.

The Israeli military said its forces were operating in the area to clear tunnels and weapons, and that preparations are under way for a new assault on Gaza City, which it describes as Hamas’s “last bastion.”

Mounting toll

The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led fighters killed some 1,200 people in southern Israel and abducted 251 others. Israel’s subsequent campaign has killed more than 62,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the Gaza health ministry. Nearly the entire population has been displaced, and one of the enclave’s last functioning hospitals has now joined the long list of targets.

With global outrage mounting over the hospital strike, protests intensifying inside Israel, and the military preparing a new offensive, Netanyahu faces pressure on all fronts — international, domestic, and on the battlefield.