JOURNALISTS in Scotland have called for urgent action from the UK Government after Israel killed five media workers in an attack on a hospital in Gaza.
Earlier on Monday, at least 20 people were killed in two Israeli strikes on Nasser Medical Complex in southern Gaza.
Several people were killed in an initial strike at the hospital, with others killed in a second strike which happened as rescuers attended the scene, Gaza's Civil Defence said.
Four journalists were initially reported to have been killed in Israel's attack: Hossam al-Masri, a photojournalist with Reuters, Mohammed Salama, a photojournalist with Al Jazeera, Mariam Abu Daqa, a journalist working across several outlets including the Associated Press and the Independent Arabic, and Moaz Abu Taha, a journalist with NBC.
Later on Monday, a fifth journalist was reported killed. Ahmed Abu Aziz, who worked with Quds Network and other media outlets, died after being wounded in the attack, Al Jazeera reports.
The international community has condemned the attack, with UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese called on states to "stop this carnage".
Meanwhile, former first minister Humza Yousaf said: "Dear Prime Ministers and Presidents, how much more documented and live-streamed evidence of genocide do you need to witness before you will act?"
The Scotland branch of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has also condemned the attack, as it called on the UK Government to uphold international law and support calls for an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) into Israel's targeting of media workers in Gaza.
Nick McGowan-Lowe, the NUJ's national organiser for Scotland, told The National: "Israel's war on Gaza continues the single deadliest conflict for journalists in the history of the world, and these horrific killings are just the latest in a tragically long list of journalists who have been killed while seeking to publish the truth.
"Many of those killed, who were overwhelmingly Palestinian, were not just caught in the crossfire, but were executed in targeted attacks, while in their homes, with their families, or while living in refugee camps.
"The National Union of Journalists has been steadfast in its condemnation with recent demonstrations across the UK and Ireland, including Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee."
NUJ members gathered in Glasgow on Friday to hold a vigil for the more than 200 Palestinian media workers killed by Israel, with a similar vigil taking place in Edinburgh the week before.
NUJ Scotland called on the UK Government to exert "serious pressure to protect journalists, uphold international law and support an investigation by the International Criminal Court into the targeting killing of journalists and media workers by Israeli forces."
McGowan-Lowe added: "If Western journalists were being targeted and killed at this rate when reporting from a war zone, there would rightly be action, sanctions and consequences.
"We will not accept the life of a journalist in Gaza is worth any less."
When contacted by The National for comment, the Foreign Office pointed towards a tweet by Foreign Secretary David Lammy earlier on Monday.
Lammy wrote: Horrified by Israel’s attack on Nasser hospital. Civilians, healthcare workers and journalists must be protected. We need an immediate ceasefire."
