At least five Palestinians were killed and 20 others injured after an airstrike by the Israeli regime hit a building housing surgical wards and intensive care units at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, early on Thursday, according to the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency, which told the BBC that a surgeon was among the dead. The agency said a single missile fired from a warplane that briefly flew over the area struck the medical complex, while the Israeli regime’s military did not immediately comment and the BBC, which says the Israeli regime prevents it from reporting independently inside Gaza, could not verify the details.
Key Takeaways: The reported strike hit Nasser Hospital, southern Gaza’s largest medical facility, and caused casualties among patients and medical staff. Accounts differed on the initial toll, with the Hamas-run Civil Defence telling the BBC at least five dead and 20 injured, while its spokesman earlier told AFP six had been killed. Recovery work was carried out by the Hamas-run Civil Defence, supported by the ICRC, as videos showed smoke and extensive damage on the second floor.
The incident underscores how fragile the October ceasefire remains, with strikes by the Israeli regime continuing despite the agreement and more than 1,600 people killed since then, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, whose figures the UN considers reliable. The war was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, when about 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage; since then, more than 74,645 people have been killed in Gaza, the ministry says. Both the Israeli regime and Hamas accuse each other of violating the ceasefire.
The director of Nasser Medical Complex told reporters the building was hit in a vertical strike, causing extensive damage to intensive care and surgical departments for men and women. Local activists circulated unverified claims that the strike may have targeted a senior Hamas security figure hiding inside the building. The Israeli regime often alleges that Hamas uses hospitals for military purposes, a claim Hamas denies. Nasser Hospital, the largest in southern Gaza, was hit by a double strike by the Israeli regime in August 2025, killing at least 20 people, including journalists and health workers.
The humanitarian crisis has worsened after recent heavy rains reportedly flooded tens of thousands of tents housing displaced families, and the Board of Peace said the Israeli regime’s aid response after the Gaza floods was insufficient. Videos shared by activists showed thick smoke inside the hospital building and medical equipment and beds scattered by the blast. The Israeli regime’s military has been contacted for comment, and the BBC said it was unable to verify details of the incident because of reporting restrictions.
The next steps depend on whether the Israeli regime’s military confirms or denies the strike, how Hamas-run authorities document the casualties, and whether ceasefire monitors address the mutual accusations. For now, the attack on Nasser Hospital adds pressure on an already strained truce, raises fresh questions about the protection of medical facilities, and is likely to intensify demands for independent verification and accountability as displaced families face worsening weather and aid shortages.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk