A camera, a staircase and three blasts: Why Israel's Gaza hospital attack is termed as 'double-tap'?

People mourn over the bodies of Palestinian journalists Moaz Abu Taha (L), photojournalist Hussam al-Masri, a Reuters contractor, (C), and Al-Jazeera photojournalist Mohamed Salama, (R), who were killed in an Israeli strike on Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, ahead of their funeral on August 25, 2025.

The Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, the last major functioning hospital in southern Gaza, was on Monday hit by a projectile that struck its upper floors. The blast killed Reuters cameraman Hussam Al-Masri, who was operating a live feed from an exterior staircase that journalists often used to get signal.

Just nine minutes later, the same site was hit again. In fact, a frame-by-frame analysis of video footage obtained by CNN showed that there were two almost simultaneous blasts the second time, not one. The analysis suggested that the weapons used were Israeli M339 multi-purpose tank shells, which produce both blast and fragmentation damage.

The follow-up explosions killed at least 20 people, including five journalists: Al-Masri of Reuters, Mohammad Salama of Al Jazeera, freelancers Mariam Abu Dagga and Moath Abu Taha who had contributed to Reuters and AP, and Ahmed Abu Aziz, a Palestinian freelancer.

What is Double-Tap Strike?

This particular modus operandi is termed as “double-tap” strike – a two-stage attack. The first strike hits a suspected military target, and the second comes minutes later in the same location, often when medics, journalists or civilians have gathered to help the wounded. The method is not formally defined in treaties, but it is widely reported and highly controversial because it takes advantage of the instinct to rescue.

The Conversation explains that the tactic immediately raises concerns under the principle of distinction, which requires armed forces to separate combatants from civilians. Janina Dill, co-director of the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict at Oxford, told NBC News that double-tap strikes are “irreconcilable with the conduct of a professional, legally advised and trained military force,” adding that the method is “morally condemned” because it exploits people’s instinct to help.

Israel’s account and the video evidence

In the hours after the strike, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) expressed regret for civilian deaths but did not say if Nasser Hospital was directly targeted. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later described the incident as a “tragic mishap,” saying Israel “deeply regrets” the loss of life and “values the work of journalists, medical staff, and all civilians.”

On Tuesday, the IDF said its forces had identified a camera near the hospital that it claimed Hamas was using to monitor Israeli troop movements. According to the IDF, the camera was targeted to remove an operational threat. CNN quoted a senior Israeli security official who said the initial plan had been to use a drone strike but tank shells were fired instead. The first strike happened at 10:08 a.m., followed by two more that hit the stairwell while medics and journalists were already there.

The IDF later said that six of those killed were “terrorists.” Gaza health officials and Hamas denied this and accused Israel of mixing up the victims with people who had died elsewhere in Khan Younis that day. Israel has not yet commented on the third projectile visible in the footage.

Where Double-Taps have been seen before

This was not the first time double-tap strikes have been reported. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism documented US follow-up drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen and Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012 that killed rescuers. Russia has also been accused of using the method in Ukraine, with missiles striking a British Council building and the EU mission in Kyiv just 20 seconds apart in August. Groups like Al Qaeda and Boko Haram have used similar methods, often sending a second bomber to kill those who arrived after the first blast.

In Gaza, a joint investigation by +972 Magazine and Local Call found that double-tap strikes had become “routine.” NBC quoted one Israeli military source as saying: “If there’s a strike on a senior commander, another one will be carried out afterwards to ensure rescue efforts don’t take place.”

What international law says

International humanitarian law, often called the law of armed conflict, limits how military operations can be carried out in areas where civilians are present. These rules, based on the Geneva Conventions, protect non-combatants, including doctors, patients and journalists, even during war.

Hospitals are protected spaces and can only lose that protection if they are being used for harmful military purposes. Journalists are also civilians and cannot be targeted unless they are directly taking part in fighting. That means any strike on a hospital where medical staff, journalists and patients are present raises serious legal concerns.

The laws of war rest on four principles. Distinction requires forces to separate civilian objects from military targets. Proportionality prohibits attacks if the expected civilian harm is excessive compared to the military advantage. Necessity allows only actions needed for a clear military goal. Humanity requires that suffering not be inflicted unnecessarily.

The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court lists deliberate attacks on hospitals and humanitarian personnel as war crimes. Even reckless disregard, without intent, can be grounds for prosecution if commanders fail to take precautions to avoid civilian harm.

The global response

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the strike “deeply concerning” and demanded an independent investigation. The Committee to Protect Journalists said Gaza is now “the most dangerous conflict for journalists in recent history.” According to Al Jazeera, at least 273 journalists have been killed.

Groups like Doctors Without Borders and Medical Aid for Palestinians condemned the attack. Governments in Germany, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Canada and the UK also issued statements of criticism.

In the United States, President Trump said he was “not happy” about the incident. His Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox News that a resolution to the Gaza conflict could come “before the end of the year,” adding that Hamas was “signalling openness” to talks.

Could this be a war crime?

Whether this strike will lead to war crimes charges is still unclear. Proving intent is always difficult, but the combination of video footage, witness accounts and changing official statements may become important. The International Criminal Court has jurisdiction over Gaza, and if prosecutors find that the second and third strikes knowingly targeted protected people or were carried out with reckless disregard for civilian life, they could fall under the definition of war crimes.