Israeli strike on Nasser hospital in Gaza kills six including surgeon

An Israeli air strike on the Nasser Medical Complex in southern Gaza killed at least six people, including a prominent surgeon, heightening the crisis facing the enclave's shattered medical infrastructure.

The predawn attack struck the facility's surgery department in Khan Younis, according to Gaza's health ministry and civil defence services cited by Yahoo News. The blast wounded at least twenty other people, predominantly patients and individuals scheduled for operations. Al Jazeera correspondent Hind Khoudary reported via Yahoo News that the facility is one of the largest hospitals in the Strip and currently the sole remaining medical centre operating in Khan Younis, serving roughly half a million residents.

Media additions

Facility director Raed al-Dahshan stated that a missile pierced the building vertically, travelling through multiple storeys and causing severe destruction to both the surgery unit and the intensive care unit. Footage broadcast by ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation showed substantial structural devastation across the compound, with debris-strewn corridors and dangling wiring.

Among those killed was Rizk Abu Shaira, described by Al Jazeera correspondent Tareq Abu Azzoum via Yahoo News as a significant and prominent surgeon. Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for Gaza's civil defence service, provided details of the casualty figures to Middle East Online.

The Israel Defense Forces asserted that it targeted a senior Hamas commander and auxiliary fighters operating within the hospital. According to the IDF, the medical site served as a command centre equipped with weapon storage areas and interrogation rooms. Palestinian health authorities condemned the operation as a blatant violation of international law protecting medical facilities, while Hamas rejected the military's claims as an attempt to justify a war crime against a protected civilian object.

Incident Detail	Reported Figures & Entities
Casualties at Nasser Hospital	At least 6 killed (including surgeon Rizk Abu Shaira), 20 wounded
Targeting Justification	IDF claimed a Hamas command centre; Hamas denied and condemned the strike
Broader Regional Toll (Wednesday Flare-up)	At least 25 Palestinians killed across Gaza in separate strikes, per BBC reporting

The strike occurred amid a broader wave of military escalation. Reporting from the BBC noted that at least twenty-five Palestinians were killed in strikes across Gaza on Wednesday, marking one of the deadliest days since a ceasefire took effect in October 2025. The IDF attributed those wider strikes to a ceasefire violation involving gunmen opening fire near operating soldiers in Khan Younis. Hamas questioned the military's account, characterising the attacks as a dangerous escalation directed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Compounding the security crisis, extreme weather has severely affected displaced populations across the strip. The United Nations made an emergency appeal for waterproof tents following weekend downpours that flooded upwards of seventy thousand temporary shelters, according to Gaza's Government Media Office cited by Yahoo News. UNICEF reported that heavy rain directly impacted over one hundred thousand people, submerging camps and overflowing latrines. UN officials noted that while international funding exists, clearing essential winter supplies and tents requires administrative permissions and cooperation from Israeli authorities.

The conflict's wider toll continues to draw international scrutiny. Amnesty International published investigative findings regarding separate historical air strikes involving US-manufactured munitions in Deir al-Balah, calling for independent war crimes investigations into attacks that decimated civilian families. Concurrently, discussions concerning post-conflict transitional governance involve the recently established Board of Peace chaired by Donald Trump, though implementation hurdles and deep disagreements over militant disarmament persist between negotiating parties.

What to Watch Next

• Assessments from international organizations regarding the restoration of damaged medical departments at Nasser Hospital.
• Permit approvals and logistics surrounding incoming UN emergency winter tent deliveries for flooded displaced camps.
• Diplomatic movements concerning the transitional governance framework proposed by the Board of Peace.

For broader international reporting, consult BBC news coverage and additional updates via World coverage.