DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — An Israeli airstrike on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza on Monday resulted in the deaths of four journalists, including a freelancer for the Associated Press. Health officials reported that the strike killed at least 19 people in total.

Mariam Dagga, 33, had been freelancing for the AP since the onset of the Gaza war. She was known for her coverage of the hospital's efforts to care for children suffering from starvation. Dagga's 12-year-old son had been evacuated from Gaza earlier in the conflict.

The other journalists killed included Mohammed Salam from Al Jazeera and Hussam al-Masri, a cameraman for Reuters. Hatem Khaled, also a contractor for Reuters, was injured in the attack.

The Gaza Health Ministry stated that the strike involved two separate attacks on the hospital. The first targeted the fourth floor, and the second struck as first responders and journalists rushed to the scene to assist the injured.

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office and military declined to comment on the incident. The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict has been particularly deadly for media workers, with at least 192 journalists reported killed in Gaza over the past 22 months, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. In comparison, 18 journalists have died in the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The situation for journalists in Gaza remains precarious. Many are facing the same challenges as the civilians they cover, including food shortages. Israel has restricted international media access to the region, relying on local journalists to report on the conflict.

The deaths of these journalists have sparked renewed concerns about the safety of media workers in conflict zones. The International Federation of Journalists and the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate have reported that at least 212 Palestinian journalists have been killed since the beginning of the current military campaign.

This incident follows a recent attack that killed five Al Jazeera staff members outside Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. The Israeli government has claimed that some journalists are affiliated with Hamas, a claim that has been disputed by various media organizations.