Israel said it targeted Hamas militants inside the complex, while hospital officials reported severe damage to surgical facilities and denied receiving a warning
Thunder Bay – International News Service – An Israeli airstrike on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis killed six people, including a surgeon and a 13-year-old boy, and damaged one of the Gaza Strip’s main remaining medical facilities.
The strike hit the hospital’s surgical wing shortly after midnight Thursday. Gaza health officials reported at least 27 injuries, while footage from the scene showed damaged operating rooms, wards and medical equipment.
Hospital director Ahmed al-Farra said surgeries and other specialized services had been suspended. He warned that nearby facilities could not provide the same level of care.
The Israeli military said it targeted a senior Hamas commander and other militants, alleging that Hamas had established a presence inside the hospital complex. The commander named by Israel was not among those reported killed.
Al-Farra said the hospital received no warning immediately before the attack. The Israeli military said it had issued several previous warnings demanding an end to military activity at the facility. Neither account could be independently reconciled.
Hospitals and medical workers receive special protection under international humanitarian law, although a facility can lose that protection if it is used for military purposes. Even then, attacking forces remain bound by rules governing warning, necessity, distinction and proportionality.
The United Nations said all parties must protect medical personnel and facilities and must not use hospitals for military purposes. The World Health Organization has documented more than 1,000 attacks on health care in Gaza since October 2023.
The strike also threatens an increasingly fragile ceasefire. UN officials warned that renewed military operations, winter flooding and restrictions on shelter supplies are compounding civilian suffering across the territory.
Sources: UN noon briefing, November 12; UN political affairs update
