An Israeli airstrike hit Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza early Thursday, killing six people, including a general surgeon, and wounding at least a dozen others, Gaza’s Health Ministry said, according to Associated Press reporting published by NPR.

The Israeli military confirmed the strike and said it had targeted a Hamas commander and other militants. It did not provide evidence supporting that account.

The Health Ministry said the strike hit the surgical wing of the hospital in Khan Younis. It identified one of the dead as Dr. Rizk Abu Shaira.

Several floors inside the building were severely damaged or destroyed. Debris covered hospital beds and medical equipment, while exposed reinforcing steel hung from the ceiling where the munition had penetrated, AP reported.

Nasser is among the few medical facilities still functioning in Gaza after years of war that have devastated the territory’s healthcare infrastructure.

In its statement Thursday, the Israeli military alleged that Hamas had established a presence inside the hospital complex and that the targeted commander had turned it into a headquarters.

Hospitals and medical staff are protected under international humanitarian law. A hospital can lose that protection if it is used for military purposes. The military’s allegations about Nasser were not substantiated with evidence in the supplied reporting.

Israeli forces have previously attacked the hospital. In 2025, an Israeli strike on a gathering point for local reporters at the complex killed five journalists, including AP contributor Mariam Dagga.

Thursday’s attack comes despite a U.S.-backed ceasefire that took effect in October 2025. Since then, Israeli strikes and gunfire have killed 1,622 people, according to health authorities. Five Israeli soldiers have also been killed during that period. Israel controls at least 60 per cent of Gaza, AP reported.

The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel’s subsequent offensive has killed more than 74,600 people, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, but its casualty figures are generally considered reliable by the international community.

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