New Delhi: At least six people, including a surgeon, were killed and around 20 injured after an Israeli airstrike hit Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, early Thursday. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said medical staff, patients and their companions were among those killed. The Israeli military said it had targeted a senior Hamas commander and other members of the group’s armed wing inside the hospital.
Eyewitnesses said a missile struck the building housing the hospital’s surgical wards and intensive care units, BBC reported. A civil defence paramedic said it penetrated the five-storey structure and hit a room in the surgical department, causing extensive damage.
Videos shared by local activists showed thick smoke inside the hospital and extensive destruction on the second floor. Medical equipment and beds were scattered across the damaged rooms. Reuters footage showed rubble and furniture across corridors, exposed wires hanging from damaged ceilings and injured patients being carried out on stretchers. Several bodies were also seen being removed as firefighters worked outside.
The Gaza civil defence spokesman Mahmoud Basal initially reported five deaths and 20 injuries. The Palestinian health ministry on Telegram, later confirmed at least six deaths and identified surgeon Dr Rizk Abu Shaira among those killed. Medics also identified the deceased surgeon as Rezik Abushira.
The Israeli military said it had targeted a senior Hamas militant and other members of the group’s armed wing operating inside the hospital. In a statement, it accused Hamas of using the hospital complex as a command centre for military operations. It alleged that the group stored weapons, operated command-and-control rooms and used hospital facilities as observation posts and shelters for fighters.
Hamas rejected Israel’s explanation and accused it of spreading false narratives to cover up a new war crime. A spokesman for the group condemned the attack as a fully-fledged war crime. Local activists also circulated claims that the strike may have targeted a senior Hamas security figure hiding inside the building, although this has not been independently confirmed.
The Gaza health ministry described the attack as a flagrant violation of international laws and conventions. Hospitals and medical personnel receive special protection under international humanitarian law, although this protection can be affected under specific circumstances if a facility is used for military purposes. Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of exploiting civilian infrastructure for military operations, a charge the group denies.
Nasser Hospital was previously hit by a double Israeli strike in August 2025. The attack killed at least 20 people, including journalists and health workers.
Israeli strikes have continued even after a ceasefire agreement in October 2025. Gaza’s health authorities say more than 1,620 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since the agreement, while Israel says four of its soldiers have been killed. Each side has accused the other of violating the ceasefire.
Heavy rains have compounded the humanitarian crisis, reportedly flooding tens of thousands of tents housing displaced Palestinian families.
The war began after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023. Around 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage, according to Israeli figures. Israel launched its military offensive in response, with Gaza’s health ministry reporting more than 74,650 Palestinian deaths since then. The United Nations considers the ministry’s casualty figures reliable.