Israel Faces New Pressure Over Hospital Strikes As Trump Chairs Gaza Meeting

President Donald Trump was group to chair a gathering Wednesday astir nan early of Gaza, arsenic Israel faced mounting world outcry complete strikes connected a infirmary that killed 20 people, including journalists and medics.

Israeli and American officials will be nan discussions connected nan aftermath of nan war, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said, moreover arsenic nan U.S. state moves up pinch a caller shape of a run that has killed tens of thousands of group and pushed nan Palestinian enclave’s largest metropolis into famine.

Pope Leo XIV added his sound to a increasing chorus of unit to extremity nan war, while NBC News said to eyewitnesses who contradicted nan Israeli military's mentation for nan onslaught connected Nasser Hospital successful confederate Gaza.

“It’s a very broad scheme we’re putting together,” Witkoff told Fox News precocious Tuesday, adding that it reflected Trump’s “humanitarian motives.” Hamas, Witkoff said, was “now signaling that they’re unfastened to a settlement,” to extremity nan 22-month war. “We’re going to settee this 1 measurement aliases another, surely earlier nan extremity of this year,” he added.

Rescuers activity to retrieve nan assemblage of cameraman Hussam al-Masri, a contractor for Reuters, connected Monday.Hatem Khaled / Reuters

Israel has not publically responded to nan latest ceasefire proposal, which nan militant group agreed to past week.

Five journalists were among those killed successful Monday's “double tap” strikes, which was caught connected video by nan Arabic-language transmission Al Ghad TV, whose analogous Ibrahim al Qanan was unrecorded connected TV erstwhile nan 2nd onslaught hit. He said timestamps connected nan video showed that location was 7 minutes betwixt nan explosions.

Responders, including journalists and rescue workers, waited a fewer minutes aft nan first deed earlier they raced up nan stairs only to beryllium caught successful nan 2nd blast, he added.

The Israel Defense Forces said successful a connection connected X that an first enquiry recovered that troops had identified a camera astatine nan infirmary that was being utilized to observe its troops “in bid to nonstop violent activities against them.” It added that “troops operated to region nan threat by striking and dismantling nan camera.”

The statement, which did supply grounds to substantiate nan claims nor did it reside nan 2nd onslaught connected nan facility, added that an investigation had been ordered into “several gaps,” including nan “authorization process” earlier nan attack, including for nan ammunition utilized and nan timing.

But according to 5 journalists connected nan crushed location was only 1 camera connected nan hospital’s roof. The Reuters news agency said it had been moving a unrecorded provender from nan tract for nan past 18 months. A elder Hamas charismatic claimed it did not person a camera successful nan area.

Among nan dormant were Mariam Dagga, 33, a ocular journalist, who freelanced for nan Associated Press and different news outlets during nan war. Al Jazeera confirmed that its journalist Mohammed Salama was besides among nan dead, while Reuters reported that its contractor cameraman Hussam al-Masri and Moaz Abu Taha, a freelancer who worked occasionally for nan organization, died successful nan Israeli bombing. Ahmad Abu Aziz, who Middle East Eye said worked arsenic a freelancer, was besides killed.

Journalists killed successful Monday's Israeli onslaught connected Gaza's Nasser hospital, clockwise from left, Hussam al-Masri, Ahmed Abu Aziz, Mohammed Salama, Mariam Dagga, and Moaz Abu Taha.via Reuters

Asked astir nan strikes, Trump said he was “not happy astir it,” adding, “We person to extremity this full nightmare.”

Other occidental leaders were much forceful successful their criticism.

On Wednesday, Pope Leo demanded that Israel extremity nan “collective punishment” and forced displacement of Palestinians successful Gaza arsenic he pleaded for an contiguous and imperishable ceasefire successful Gaza.

“I request for a imperishable ceasefire to beryllium reached, nan safe introduction of humanitarian assistance to beryllium facilitated and humanitarian rule to beryllium afloat respected,” nan first American pontiff said during his play wide assemblage attended by thousands of group successful nan Vatican’s auditorium.