Nasser Hospital Hit by Israeli Airstrike, Killing Surgeon and Child

An Israeli airstrike struck Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on Thursday, killing six people according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The victims included Dr. Rizk Abu Shaira, a general surgeon, and a 13-year-old boy. At least 28 others were wounded in the attack, which targeted the hospital’s surgical wing.

The Israeli military stated that the strike aimed to eliminate a Hamas commander and other militants. The defense ministry did not provide evidence for this claim and confirmed that the identified commander was not among the dead. Witnesses and ministry officials reported that the building shook when the strike landed just after midnight.

Goher Rahbour, a British surgeon volunteering at the facility, described the immediate aftermath. He was on the fourth floor of the surgical department during the attack and noted that the area was filled with smoke. The recovery area on that floor was reduced to rubble, he said. Rahbour had performed a surgery with Abu Shaira hours before the strike, describing him as a happy and smiling colleague.

Ahmed al-Farra, the general director of Nasser Hospital, stated that no warning preceded the attack. Operations in the radiology department and laboratory have halted due to building damage. Medical staff had already been managing care with supply shortages and what al-Farra described as miserable conditions before the strike. The suspension of work means the hospital can no longer perform specialized surgeries that nearby facilities are not equipped to handle.

Al-Farra said patients requiring those specialized procedures now face an unknown fate. He argued that the international community must respond forcefully to the attack. He asked if the world would remain silent if the event happened in another country, answering in the negative. He added that no one is safe in the current environment.

The Israeli military accused Hamas of establishing a presence within the hospital complex, claiming the targeted commander turned the site into a headquarters. The military has raided or besieged multiple hospitals in the territory, alleging they are used as command centers or to hide fighters. A joint report from the United Nations, World Bank, and European Union found that more than 1,800 medical facilities have been partially or completely destroyed since the conflict began.

Nasser Hospital has been targeted previously. In 2025, an Israeli strike on a reporter gathering point at the complex killed 22 people, including five journalists. The Gaza Health Ministry reported that more than 74,600 people have died in the war that began on Oct. 7, 2023. Since a U.S.-backed ceasefire took effect in October 2025, health authorities say 1,622 people have died from Israeli strikes and gunfire, while five Israeli soldiers have been killed.

The hospital remains one of the main operating medical centers in the strip. Debris is scattered across beds and equipment, and rebar hangs from holes in the ceiling of damaged wards. The facility continues to operate with reduced capacity while staff address the structural damage and care for the injured.