Israel struck Nasser Hospital at least four times during its deadly attack in southern Gaza on Monday, an analysis of new video footage by BBC Verify has found.
The attack, which has attracted international condemnation and widespread anger, reportedly killed at least 20 people, including five journalists.
Initial reports from Gaza said that Israel had struck the hospital twice, with the first blast followed nine minutes later by another which hit first responders and journalists who arrived at the scene.
However, new analysis suggests the hospital was struck four times in total. BBC Verify and expert analysis found that two staircases were hit almost simultaneously in the first wave, and what was thought to be a single later attack was, in fact, two separate strikes hitting the same place within a fraction of a second.
Israel does not allow international journalists to enter Gaza independently. BBC Verify identified the additional strikes by analyzing videos provided by a freelancer on the ground and material filmed by eyewitnesses that circulated online.
The first incident saw an Israeli strike hit the exterior staircase on the hospital's eastern side at 10:08 local time, killing journalist Hussam Al-Masri, who was operating a live TV feed for Reuters.
BBC Verify later identified another previously unreported blast at a northern wing staircase at almost the same time, overshadowed by the double-tap strike on the eastern staircase.
New footage shows smoke rising and damage at both staircases, while emergency workers reported that the hospital's operating department was hit.
Footage shared with the BBC by a freelancer displayed the damaged interior of the hospital, highlighting the severity of the strikes. According to experts, the impact of the strikes suggests the use of heavy munitions.
About nine minutes later, while dozens of first responders and journalists gathered on the eastern staircase, Israeli forces struck the facility again. While media documented the initial blast, frame-by-frame analysis revealed that two separate projectiles struck the hospital milliseconds apart at an exposed stairwell where journalists and emergency workers had gathered.
Disagreement persists over the type of munitions used in the third and fourth strikes, with some analysts suggesting they were guided munitions, while others lean towards tank-fired projectiles based on the patterns of the explosions.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has not provided any comment on the newly identified blasts. Initially, Israel described the attack as an unavoidable response to military targets in the vicinity.
International legal experts are raising concerns about potential violations of the Geneva Convention, particularly regarding attacks in civilian areas such as hospitals.
This recent incident is part of a larger context of conflict, where over 62,900 people have reportedly been killed in Gaza following the outbreak of hostilities since October 2023.
