Israeli strike on Gaza’s Nasser Medical Complex kills six as Israel says it targeted Hamas commander
An overnight Israeli strike on the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis killed at least six Palestinians and wounded more than 20, according to Gaza authorities, while Israel says it was aiming at Hamas command figures inside the hospital.
A strike on one of southern Gaza’s main hospitals has again put the territory’s medical system in the middle of the war.
Late Wednesday, Israeli fire hit the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, killing six Palestinians and wounding more than 20, according to Gaza health officials. Local authorities said the attack caused extensive damage to several hospital departments.
The Palestinian Health Ministry has condemned the strike, saying that healthcare workers, patients and their companions were among the dead and injured. The ministry has called for urgent international action to protect medical facilities in Gaza from further attacks.
More detailed accounts from Gaza reported that the strike took place on the second floor of the hospital’s surgery department. At least 6 people were killed and about 25 to 30 wounded were reported in connection with the incident. One of the missiles used in the strike reportedly failed to explode upon impact, leaving unexploded ordnance inside the damaged hospital area.
The Israeli military says the strike was a targeted operation against Hamas figures using the hospital. According to an official statement by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson, the main target was Mohammad Abu Ismail, described as the Khan Younis Brigade commander in Hamas and said to have been responsible, among other things, for holding Israeli hostages during the war. The IDF did not specify in that statement whether Abu Ismail was confirmed killed.
Other Israeli and regional channels reported that a senior Hamas official was eliminated in the same strike on Nasser Hospital. These accounts said six people were killed and about 30 wounded, and named the killed Hamas official as Khaled Abu Anza (Abu Osama). They also reported that some Gazans who oppose Hamas expressed approval of his death, citing anger at alleged abuses, though those social reactions are based on channel reporting rather than independent surveys.
The IDF and Israeli authorities have stated that the Nasser strike was directed at Hamas command infrastructure they say is embedded within the hospital complex. Hamas and Gaza authorities dispute the characterization of hospitals as legitimate military targets, and there is no independent confirmation from outside investigators in the available material about the nature of any Hamas presence inside Nasser at the time of the strike.
For Gaza’s health system, the hit on Nasser adds to a long list of losses. The complex is a key medical hub for Khan Younis and the wider southern Gaza Strip, handling surgery and other specialist care at a time when many other facilities are damaged or operating under severe constraints. Damage to its surgery department and other units further reduces capacity to treat casualties from ongoing fighting and bombardment.
Hospitals are protected sites under international humanitarian law unless they are used to commit acts harmful to the enemy, and even then special conditions apply. Israel argues that Hamas’ use of hospital grounds and buildings for military purposes, including command and control or concealment of fighters, changes their status. Palestinian officials reject these claims, and international legal assessments of earlier incidents have been contested.
How this strike is ultimately viewed will depend on facts that are not yet fully established, including confirmation of which Hamas figures were present, fuller documentation of the damage, and any independent investigations launched by international bodies. Signals to watch include whether Israel releases additional intelligence material about the alleged targets, whether the hospital can restore key services quickly, and whether the incident triggers formal inquiries at the UN or by humanitarian organizations focused on the protection of medical facilities.
Sources
- OSINT