The UN human rights office has said that the killing of five more Palestinian journalists in Gaza by Israeli forces, bringing the total killed overall to 247 since the war began, should shock the world into action.

The UN human rights office, also known as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated this on Tuesday.

OHCHR spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said condemnation of the two strikes by Israeli forces on the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis now needed to be channelled into a demand for accountability and justice for all those killed.

At least 20 died, including four health workers and five journalists, later named as Ahed Abu Aziz, Hussam al-Masri, Mariam Dagga, Mohammed Salama, and Moaz Abu Taha. They worked for outlets including Middle East Eye, the Associated Press, Al Jazeera, and Reuters.

Video taken at the scene shows a second strike apparently targeting rescuers who had arrived at the scene of the initial attack on southern Gaza’s largest medical facility on Monday.

“We know that one of the five journalists appears to have been killed in the first air strike, while three others, including the woman journalist, appear to have been killed in the second air strike. This is a shock, and this is unacceptable,” Mr Al-Kheetan said. “At least 247 Palestinian journalists have been killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023. These journalists are the eyes and the ears of the whole world, and they must be protected.”

He added, “This raises many, many questions about the targeting of journalists and all of these incidents must absolutely be investigated and those responsible must be held accountable.”

He added that the OHCHR was continuing to corroborate the factual details of Monday’s strikes, noting that targeting journalists and hospitals was forbidden under international law.

The OHCHR spokesperson said that Israeli authorities had carried out investigations in the past, as the occupying power.

“But these investigations need to yield results. There needs to be justice. We haven’t seen results or accountability measures yet,” he said.

Audrey Azoulay, the head of the UN cultural agency, UNESCO, which advocates for press freedom and journalists’ safety, also condemned the killings.

She reiterated her call to respect UN Security Council Resolution 2222, unanimously adopted in 2015, on the protection of journalists, media professionals, and associated personnel as civilians in situations of conflict.

Ms Azoulay said UNESCO was providing emergency assistance to journalists in the Gaza Strip, including psychosocial assistance, access to working equipment, and capacity-building

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the killings, expressing regret, describing the incident as a “tragic mishap”. He said the Israeli military would carry out “a thorough investigation.”

(NAN)