Israeli Strike on Gaza Hospital Kills Six as Military Says Hamas Commander Was Targeted
An Israeli airstrike on Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis killed at least six people, including surgeon Rizk Abu Sharia, and wounded more than 20 others, according to Gaza’s civil defense service and Health Ministry. The strike hit the hospital’s surgery department, damaging or destroying parts of several floors. Footage from inside the facility showed debris across rooms, damaged medical equipment, wounded people among the wreckage and bodies being carried away as firefighters cleared the site.
The Israeli military said it had targeted Muhammad Abu Ismail, whom it identified as a senior Hamas member, along with other militants. The IDF alleged that Hamas was using the hospital as a command center and hub for military activity, storing weapons, conducting interrogations and sheltering fighters. It also said Abu Ismail directed attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers and was involved in holding hostages. The military provided no evidence for its claims.
Hospitals are protected under international humanitarian law, although that protection can be lost if they are used for military purposes. Hamas called the attack a “fully-fledged war crime.” The strike comes during a fragile ceasefire that began in October 2025 but has not ended the violence. The war began after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel in October 2023, which killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 hostages taken. More than 74,000 people have since been killed in Gaza, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
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