Bruce acknowledges Israeli’s targeted killing of journalists in Gazapublished at 20:04 British Summer Time 12 August
20:04 BST 12 August
A reporter asks Bruce about the recent killing of Palestinians journalists in Gaza, asking whether she will call for an independent investigation into their killings, as the reporter accuses Israel of failing to properly investigate past killings of journalists, doctors and other professionals.
Bruce says she “takes issue” with the premise that Israel has “always” failed to investigate its soldiers’ actions, and says Hamas has used human shields in hospitals and schools.
She stops short of calling for an investigation into the killings, saying Israel is “one of our stalwart allies” and that they “do investigate”.
A targeted Israeli air strike near Gaza City’s al-Shifa Hospital killed six journalists in Gaza on Sunday. One of those killed, Al Jazeera correspondent Anas al-Sharif, was one of the last remaining prominent journalists in Gaza.
Israel’s military says it targeted Sharif, alleging he had “served as the head of a terrorist cell in Hamas”, but provided little evidence.
A second reporter, who says 11 of his colleagues had been killed in Gaza, asks Bruce whether she is “comfortable with the claims and excuses” made by Israel to target those journalists.
The US is concerned about the “loss of any innocent life,” Bruce replies. She says she is not in the position to comment on Israel’s statements, saying “we refer you to Israel”.
She says she understands that some of the gathered reporters have covered wars themselves.
She adds that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is committed to ending the war.
At least 186 journalists has been killed in Israel’s war in Gaza since October 2023, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.