At least six killed in Israeli strike on Nasser Hospital, Gaza civil defence says
The Hamas-run civil defence agency said a strike on the hospital's surgery department wounded at least 20 people, with a surgeon reportedly among those killed.
By Marina Weber ·
An Israeli airstrike on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza killed at least six people early on Thursday, November 12, according to an official from the Hamas-run civil defence agency. The attack struck a building at the hospital in Khan Younis, where a surgeon was reportedly among the dead.
Civil defence spokesperson Mahmoud Basal told the AFP news agency that the hospital's surgery department had been hit. He said at least 20 people were wounded and described extensive damage to the department. The reported deaths and injuries could not be independently verified by the BBC.
The Israeli military had not immediately responded to the report of the strike. The BBC said it had approached the Israel Defense Forces for comment. It also said Israel prevents it from reporting independently inside the Gaza Strip, limiting its ability to establish the details of what happened at the hospital.
Gaza's Civil Defence carries out recovery operations and is part of the Hamas-run interior ministry. The International Committee of the Red Cross has supported the agency's recovery work. The account of Thursday's strike came from the agency through Basal's comments to AFP.
Nasser Hospital is the largest hospital in southern Gaza and has previously been struck by Israel. In August 2025, a double Israeli strike on the hospital killed at least 20 people. Journalists and health workers were among those killed in that attack.
Israeli strikes in Gaza have continued following the ceasefire agreement reached in October 2025. According to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, more than 1,600 people have been killed since that agreement. The United Nations considers the ministry's figures reliable. Both Israel and Hamas have accused the other of breaching the ceasefire.
Recent heavy rainfall has added to Gaza's humanitarian crisis. Tens of thousands of tents sheltering displaced families were reportedly flooded, worsening conditions for those living in them.
The war began after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. About 1,200 people were killed in that attack, and another 251 were taken hostage. Gaza's health ministry says more than 74,645 people have been killed in the territory since the war began.
