Six dead in Israeli airstrike on Nasser hospital in Gaza

An Israeli airstrike targeting Nasser hospital in Khan Younis resulted in the deaths of six people and injured 28 others, according to the hospital director. The military conducted the attack in the early hours of Thursday, stating that it had hit a Hamas commander and other fighters at the location. The statement did not provide evidence to support the claim.

Dr Ahmed al-Fara, the director of the hospital, reported that the blast destroyed part of the surgery department and caused significant damage to several floors. As a result, services in radiology, laboratories, surgical operations, and inpatient surgical wards were suspended. The physical toll of the strike was severe, with a ceiling collapse in one ward and beds covered in debris next to twisted medical instruments.

Dr Ayman Abu Ubaid, a surgical specialist who was wounded in the attack, described the chaos that followed the explosion. He noted that thick smoke filled the rooms and fires broke out amid the screams of the injured. Most staff members suffered injuries to their limbs and sustained shrapnel wounds in various parts of their bodies. The strike occurred at approximately 12.30am, catching the surgical patients who were waiting for operations while they slept.

Among those killed was Rizk Abu Shaira, a 52-year-old general surgeon. He had previously featured in the American Doctor documentary, which highlighted medical professionals operating in Gaza. Dr Thaer Ahmad, who also appeared in the film, paid tribute to Abu Shaira on social media, noting that the surgeon lost his life while serving his people. Abu Shaira was killed alongside one of his patients, who he had recently operated on.

Nasser hospital remains one of the few functioning healthcare facilities in Gaza after extensive bombing rendered most other structures unusable. The hospital was struck last year, killing five journalists in a double-tap attack on a site commonly used for filming. In total, the facility has been attacked seven times since the war began. The Israeli military has accused Hamas of using hospitals as command centers and for storing weapons, a claim the militant group rejects.

The death toll for healthcare workers in Gaza has exceeded 1,700. Doctors Without Borders reports that Israel has detained hundreds of medical staff since October 2023, with at least 95 still in custody. Approximately 90 percent of Gaza’s health infrastructure has been destroyed or damaged, a systematic destruction that UN experts have termed medicide. Under international humanitarian law, attacking healthcare facilities is generally illegal unless they are used for military purposes.

The need for medical care is particularly acute during the winter months, as rains have displaced residents from their tents and increased the spread of communicable diseases in crowded camps. Dr al-Fara stated that the hospital is currently lacking about 80 percent of its essential medicines and supplies. One of the victims was Seif Ghazi Abu Hatab, 29, who was admitted after debris fell on his back while clearing rubble from a friend’s home.

Abu Hatab was scheduled for surgery at 10am on Thursday and was expected to receive further treatment abroad. His cousin, Tareq Abu Hatab, described the young man as being in the prime of his life and eager to rebuild. Abu Hatab had already lost his father and two brothers, leaving his mother with the loss of three sons. Israel launched the war following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostages.

Since the conflict began, at least 74,645 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry. The commission has stated that Israel has carried out a genocide in the strip. Airstrikes continue, with the Gaza ministry of health reporting that more than 1,600 people have been killed since the October 2025 ceasefire.