Israeli Air Strike on Nasser Hospital in Southern Gaza Kills Six

OPA WIRE, Nov 12 (OPA) — Six people, including medical staff and patients, were killed when two missiles struck the al-Yasin surgery building at the Nasser Medical Complex in the southern Gaza Strip overnight. Hospital director Dr Ahmed al-Fara stated that two missiles hit the structure, though one failed to detonate, causing extensive damage to operating theatres, wards, and medical equipment. Among the dead was surgeon Dr Rizq Abu Shaira, while general surgery specialist Dr Mohammed Qdeih sustained head injuries when the blast trapped him beneath the rubble.

The Israeli military defended the operation, asserting that the strike was precise and targeted the commander of Hamas's Khan Younis Brigade alongside other fighters. According to the military, the site was used as a headquarters to direct attacks against Israeli forces, an allegation that Hamas dismissed as a false narrative intended to cover up a war crime. Fara firmly denied that the hospital had received any advance warning from the military prior to the strike.

The Nasser Medical Complex, located in Khan Younis, is the largest medical facility in southern Gaza, serving a population of nearly one million people. Fara noted that this incident marks the seventh time the facility has been struck during the ongoing conflict. International law grants hospitals protected status, but healthcare infrastructure has been repeatedly targeted throughout the war, with Israel maintaining that Hamas systematically exploits civilian facilities for military operations.

Despite a US-brokered ceasefire agreement reached in October, sporadic air strikes and military engagements continue across the Gaza Strip, resulting in mounting casualties. Over 1,620 people have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire, according to local health authorities. Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in the territory has intensified following heavy rainfall that flooded tens of thousands of tents sheltering displaced families.