Six Dead in Nasser Hospital Strike as Gaza Ceasefire Slips

At least six people died in an Israeli airstrike on the surgery building of Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza early Thursday morning. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that the blast hit one of the few operational medical facilities left in the enclave. Medical staff and patients were among the fatalities, including a surgeon and a 13 year old boy.

The Israeli military said it was aiming at Muhammad Abu Ismail, the head of the Hamas Khan Younis Brigade. Officials stated that Abu Ismail was responsible for holding hostages and that Hamas had built a command center inside the hospital complex. The Israel Security Agency claimed weapons were stored in the building and that interrogations took place there.

Dr. Rizk Abu Shaira, a Palestinian surgeon, was among those killed. He appeared in the 2026 documentary American Doctor, which followed three American physicians treating patients in Gaza. Watermelon Pictures, the film’s distributor, said it was devastated by his death. Dr. Mohammed Zaqout, the director general of the Health Ministry in Gaza, told mourners in a video that Abu Shaira never abandoned his duties during the war. Zaqout called him one of the best and said the doctor was proud to save lives.

The hospital also confirmed the death of 13 year old patient Jihad Naeem Muhammad Abu Tilikh. A 53 year old man named Khaled Abu Anza was also killed. His sister, Tahani Ibrahim Abu Anza, said he was at the hospital for physical therapy after surgery. She said she believed he was targeted because a Hamas commander with the same surname was also killed, according to Israeli media. The Israeli Defense Forces said they are investigating the matter.

Hamas called the attack a war crime and rejected the military’s claims as lies. The group stated that the hospital was not being used for military operations. The Israeli military said it used precision munitions and aerial surveillance to limit civilian harm. It confirmed an investigation is underway into the deaths of medical workers and patients.

This strike occurred despite a U.S. backed ceasefire agreement reached in October of last year. The Palestinian Health Ministry said more than 1,600 people have died in Gaza since the truce began. Israel reported that four of its soldiers have died during the same period. Both sides have accused each other of violating the ceasefire terms.

Since Israel began its offensive following the Hamas led attacks of October 7, 2023, more than 74,600 people have been killed in Gaza. That initial attack killed approximately 1,200 people and led to the capture of around 250 hostages. Nasser Hospital was struck again in August 2025 when a double tap attack killed at least 20 people, including journalists and health workers.

The World Health Organization reports that only two of Gaza’s 37 hospitals are fully functioning. Eighteen are partially functioning and 17 are nonfunctioning. Medical Aid for Palestinians, which supports departments at Nasser Hospital, said the attack shows the ceasefire has not brought safety to the healthcare system. The strikes come as heavy rains and colder weather hit the region.