Politics
Israeli Airstrike on Nasser Hospital Kills 6, Including Surgeon, Gaza Health Ministry Says
An early Thursday Israeli airstrike on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis killed six people, including a general surgeon, and wounded at least a dozen more, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Israel said it targeted a Hamas commander, but provided no evidence, as the strike damaged the hospital's surgical wing and underscored the collapse of Gaza's healthcare system.
An Israeli airstrike struck Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis early Thursday, killing six people, including a general surgeon, and wounding at least a dozen others, Gaza's Health Ministry reported. The attack damaged the hospital's surgical wing, scattering debris across beds and medical equipment and leaving rebar exposed where the munition penetrated several floors.
The dead included Dr. Rizk Abu Shaira, a surgeon at the facility, according to the Health Ministry. The Israeli military confirmed it carried out the strike, saying it targeted a Hamas commander and other militants. The military did not provide evidence for its claim and alleged that Hamas had "established a presence within the hospital complex" and that the commander had turned it "into a headquarters."
Nasser Hospital is one of the last functioning medical centers in Gaza, where years of war have devastated the healthcare infrastructure. The strike is part of a broader pattern: Israel has raided or besieged hospitals across the territory, accusing Hamas of using them for military purposes, and has destroyed medical supplies and equipment while killing or detaining hundreds of health workers.
Under international humanitarian law, hospitals and medical staff are protected during armed conflict, though a facility can lose that protection if it is used for military operations. Israel has not publicly presented evidence to justify its claims about Nasser Hospital.
The hospital has been attacked before. In 2025, an Israeli strike on a gathering point for journalists at the complex killed five reporters, including Mariam Dagga, a contributor to the Associated Press.
The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 74,600 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, whose figures are generally considered reliable by the international community.
Despite a U.S.-backed ceasefire that took effect in October 2025, Israeli strikes and gunfire have continued, killing 1,622 Palestinians, health authorities say. Five Israeli soldiers have also been killed during that period. Israel controls at least 60% of the enclave.
The strike on Nasser Hospital highlights the fragility of the ceasefire and the ongoing risks to civilians and medical personnel in Gaza. With much of the health system destroyed, each attack on a functioning hospital further strains the ability to provide care to a population in desperate need.