Gaza: In an Israeli attack on the surgical department of Nasser Hospital in the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, six people, including patients and their companions, were killed, including Dr. Rizk Abu Shuaira, and 27 others were seriously injured, the Gaza Ministry of Health said.
The ministry, noting that the attack "openly violated" international laws protecting medical facilities, health workers, and patients, has urged the international community and United Nations bodies to intervene to protect hospitals and ensure accountability.
World Health Organization Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has confirmed the casualties and stated that the hospital's surgical department has suffered major damage.
"A deadly attack has once again been carried out on health services in Gaza. In a situation where most hospitals in Gaza have been crippled by the war, an early-morning strike on the surgical department of Nasser Hospital, one of the most important remaining treatment centers, has killed six people, including Dr. Rizk Abu Shuaira, as well as patients and those who accompanied them; at least 27 others have been seriously injured. Reports indicate that the surgical department has suffered extensive damage," Tedros posted on the 'X' platform.
The hospital’s operating rooms, the patient recovery ward, and other areas including the intensive care unit, as well as the building’s second floor, have been severely damaged, he said, adding that work is under way to assess the full extent of the damage.
Highlighting the severity of the attacks on health infrastructure in Gaza, the head of the World Health Organization said that the WHO has documented 1,056 attacks on health centers in the Palestinian territory since October 2023, and that 1,010 people have been killed and 1,725 people injured in these attacks.
Meanwhile, the Israeli Defense Forces said the strike was carried out targeting Hamas military operatives who had been operating inside the Nasser hospital compound. It said these targets included a senior commander from Hamas’s Khan Younis brigade. However, it did not release evidence to support this.
The commander targeted in the attack has been identified as Muhammad Abu Ismail. The Israeli Defense Forces have accused him of being involved in holding hostages inside the hospital during the war.
The Israeli military said that the second floor of the hospital had been used as Hamas’s military headquarters, that commanders had been operating there amid heavy security arrangements, and that civilians were not allowed to enter.
According to the Israeli Defense Forces, Abu Ismail was responsible for holding several hostages, including Nimrod Cohen, Matan Zangauker, Idan Alexander, Avera Mengistu, Colonel Asaf Hamami, Staff Sergeant Oz Daniel, and Captain Omer Neutra.
The Israeli military said that other Hamas operatives were also targeted in this attack, including Muaret Tawfiq Mahmoud Abu Zarifa, head of the engineering department in the war and administrative support division, and Khalid Osama Abu Ansa, head of the communications division at Hamas’s intelligence headquarters.
The Israeli Defense Forces, which accused Hamas of using the hospital compound to plan attacks against Israeli soldiers and of trying to rebuild the military capabilities of its Khan Younis brigade, said the operation was carried out to eliminate an immediate threat.
Furthermore, Israel has stated that precautionary measures were taken to carry out the attack in a way that would minimize damage to the hospital and prevent harm to the public.
It also stated that, before the attack, the Israeli Defense Forces repeatedly warned that the military activities taking place in the hospital should be stopped; this was also emphasized recently. However, the report notes that the military activities in the hospital were not stopped.
The Israeli Defense Forces have emphasized that they operate in accordance with international law, respect the special protection afforded to medical facilities and health workers, and never consider such places as targets for attack.
Meanwhile, Tedros has reiterated the need to protect health infrastructure in Gaza and the need to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches the area.
Gaza’s health facilities are the lifeline of the people there. They must be protected. They should never be used for military purposes or attacked, he said. “Peace is the best medicine,” the head of the World Health Organization also said.
Although the ceasefire came into effect in October 2025, such attacks have continued to take place.