India expresses shock over Gaza journalist killings while accepting Israel's claims

India has expressed shock and regret over the killing of five journalists in Israeli strikes on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza but at the same time placed its faith in an investigation by Israel, the very authority under which the attacks had occurred, and this position has drawn attention given the wider global condemnation of the incident.

The journalists were killed in Khan Younis on 25 August along with at least 20 others, and reports indicated that they had been on assignment at the hospital when the strike took place.

Those killed included Reuters cameraman Hussam al-Masri, freelance journalist Moaz Abu Taha, Al Jazeera photojournalist Mohammed Salama, freelance visual journalist Mariam Abu Dagga and reporter Ahmed Abu Aziz, and the loss added to an already long list of media workers who have died in the conflict.

Nasser Hospital had been described as the last functioning public hospital in southern Gaza, and its targeting once again underlined the precarious conditions in which civilians and journalists have been operating.

Earlier in August, another five Gaza-based media workers, some affiliated with Al Jazeera, had been killed in what was reported to be a targeted attack by Israel, and it was noted that several among them had been facing threats for months. The latest strike therefore deepened concerns that journalists were being systematically exposed to fatal risks, and media watchdogs reiterated that such attacks undermined not only press freedom but also the ability to document the humanitarian consequences of the conflict.

While India characterised the killing of journalists as shocking and regrettable, it simultaneously acknowledged the Israeli explanation that the intended target was a Hamas-linked object and not media personnel, and the Israeli army chief has reportedly ordered an internal inquiry into how the strike decision was made.

Observers pointed out that India’s expression of faith in Israeli investigation stands in contrast with the calls by various international bodies for independent probes, as confidence in impartiality is widely contested.

India’s position is consistent with its recent stance at the United Nations in June, when it abstained from voting on a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages by Hamas and unhindered humanitarian access, arguing instead that durable peace could only come through direct negotiations.