An Israeli airstrike on a building within 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.
The Israeli military stated that it had targeted a senior Hamas militant and other members of the group's armed wing, whom they claimed were operating inside the hospital in Khan Younis. The military further accused Hamas of utilizing the hospital complex as a command center for military operations, including weapon storage, command-and-control rooms, and using hospital facilities as observation posts and shelters for fighters. Reuters was unable to independently verify these allegations.
Mahmoud Basal, the spokesperson for Gaza's civil defence, reported that the airstrike hit the surgery department of the hospital, resulting in significant damage. Medics identified the deceased surgeon as Rezik Abushira. Video footage from within the hospital depicted extensive damage, with rubble and furniture scattered across rooms and wires hanging from damaged ceilings.
Images from the scene showed individuals carrying injured patients on stretchers through debris-strewn corridors and others assisting the wounded through the wreckage. Several bodies were observed being carried away while firefighters operated outside. A Hamas spokesperson condemned the strike, denouncing it as a "fully-fledged war crime."
Israel has intensified its operations in the Gaza Strip, asserting that Hamas is attempting to regroup and rebuild its arsenal. Hamas, conversely, maintains its commitment to a year-old ceasefire and accuses Israel of seeking to undermine the agreement. Gaza health officials report that at least 1,600 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire agreement, while Israel states that four soldiers have been killed. Gaza health authorities claim that over 74,000 people have died since Israel commenced its offensive in October 2023, following an attack by Hamas gunmen on southern Israel which Israel states resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities.
