GAZA CITY: A surgeon and a 13 year old boy were among six people killed when an Israeli strike hit Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza on Thursday, adding another tragic chapter to the territory’s deepening humanitarian crisis.
According to Gaza’s civil defence authorities, dozens of people were wounded in the attack on the hospital in Khan Younis, one of the few major medical facilities still operating in the war-ravaged territory. A doctor at the hospital said nearly 30 people were injured, reported by Arab News.
The hospital confirmed the deaths, including that of Dr. Rizk Abu Shaira, a surgeon who had been treating patients just hours before the bombing. British surgeon Goher Rahbour, who was working alongside him, recalled him as a cheerful and kind colleague.
“We were hit by a direct strike on the doctors’ offices and the patients’ rooms,” said Dr. Ayman Abu Obeid, head of surgery at the hospital.
Rahbour said the explosion struck shortly after midnight, shaking the building and filling it with smoke. Part of the surgical department’s recovery area was reduced to rubble.
The Israeli military confirmed the strike, claiming it had targeted a senior Hamas militant and other members of the group’s military wing allegedly operating inside the hospital. However, hospital officials rejected the allegation, insisting that no armed fighters were present in the building. Hamas also denied using the facility for military purposes.
Hospital director Ahmed Al-Farra said no warning had been issued before the attack. He added that damage to the building had forced doctors to suspend surgeries and other medical services, leaving patients with fewer options for specialised treatment.
The bombing was part of a wider wave of Israeli attacks across Gaza on Thursday. Civil defence officials reported at least 11 Palestinian deaths in total, including victims of strikes and gunfire in several parts of the territory.
The Board of Peace, which oversees the Gaza ceasefire initiative, called for the immediate implementation of the peace plan following the hospital attack.
Despite a ceasefire that began in October 2025, violence has continued across Gaza. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 1,600 Palestinians have been killed since the truce began, underscoring how fragile the hope for lasting peace remains.
