An Israeli airstrike on a building inside Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza killed at least six people and wounded 20 others early Thursday, the territory’s civil defence service said. The strike hit the hospital’s surgical department in Khan Younis, a city in the south of the enclave, causing extensive damage to the facility, according to Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Gaza civil defence service.
Among those killed was surgeon Rezik Abushira, medics at the hospital said. The reported death of a surgeon inside a medical department highlights the direct impact of attacks on health workers and patients in an already fragile emergency-care environment. The 20 wounded were not immediately identified, and no further details were available on their condition.
The Israeli military did not issue an immediate comment on the strike. The absence of an immediate response left key questions unanswered, including the intended target and whether any warning had been given before the building was hit. The information available so far comes from Gaza’s civil defence service and medical personnel at Nasser Hospital.
Nasser Hospital has been a central medical site in southern Gaza, where hospitals have faced repeated pressure during the war, including large numbers of casualties, shortages and damage to infrastructure. A strike on a surgical department carries particular consequences because operating rooms and specialist staff are essential for treating trauma cases. Even when casualty figures are limited to the immediate aftermath, damage to medical facilities can reduce capacity for patients arriving later.
Hospitals and medical personnel are protected under international humanitarian law, a principle set out by organisations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross. The reported strike on Nasser Hospital adds to concerns over the safety of hospitals and health workers in the conflict between Israel and Gaza, where the functioning of medical services remains critical for civilians caught in the fighting.
