An Israeli airstrike on a building at Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza killed at least six people including a surgeon and wounded 20 others early Thursday, according to Gaza's civil defence service.
Spokesperson Mahmoud Basal said the strike hit the hospital’s surgery department in Khan Younis, causing severe structural damage. Medics identified the deceased surgeon as Rezik Abushira. Footage from inside the facility showed debris and overturned furniture across rooms with wires hanging from damaged ceilings as rescuers carried wounded patients through rubble-strewn corridors.
The Israeli military stated it targeted a senior Hamas militant and other armed wing members allegedly operating inside the complex. It accused Hamas of using the hospital as a command centre to store weapons and shelter fighters—claims that could not be independently verified.
A Hamas spokesperson condemned the attack as a "fully-fledged war crime" maintaining the group remains committed to a year-old ceasefire while accusing Israel of undermining the agreement. Conversely, Israel said its intensified operations aim to stop Hamas from regrouping and rebuilding its arsenal.
According to Gaza health officials at least 1,600 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire began while Israel reports four soldiers killed during the same period. Overall, Gaza authorities report more than 74,000 deaths since Israel launched its military campaign following the October 2023 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel which killed about 1,200 people.
