A hospital, a place where the wounded seek treatment and families hope to save their loved ones, has once again become the scene of death and destruction in southern Gaza.
At least five Palestinians were killed and 20 others injured after an Israeli airstrike struck a building within Nasser Hospital, according to an official of the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency who spoke to the BBC.
The attack reportedly happened early on Thursday, with eyewitnesses describing how a single missile fired from a warplane hit a section of the medical complex housing its surgical wards and intensive care units.
Among those reportedly killed was a surgeon, adding to concerns over the safety of healthcare workers and patients already struggling to survive amid the continuing conflict.
The scale of the damage was evident in videos circulated by local activists. The footage showed thick smoke filling parts of the building, while the blast had left medical equipment and hospital beds scattered across the second floor.
Mahmoud Basal, a spokesperson for Gaza’s Civil Defence agency, initially told AFP that six people had died. However, another official from the agency gave the BBC a death toll of at least five, alongside 20 injured.
The director of Nasser Medical Complex said the building was struck in what he described as a vertical attack, causing extensive damage to the intensive care and surgical departments serving both male and female patients.
The Israeli military had not immediately commented on the incident. The BBC said it had contacted the Israel Defense Forces for a response but could not independently verify the details because Israel prevents its journalists from reporting independently from inside Gaza.
Questions over the target
While the circumstances surrounding the strike remained unclear, claims circulated among local activists that the attack may have been directed at a senior Hamas security figure allegedly hiding inside the hospital.
That claim had not been independently verified.
Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of using hospitals and other civilian facilities for military purposes, an allegation the Palestinian armed group has consistently denied.
The recovery operation at Nasser Hospital was being handled by Gaza’s Civil Defence, which operates under the Hamas-run Interior Ministry. The International Committee of the Red Cross has also supported its emergency response efforts.
A hospital familiar with destruction
Thursday’s attack was not the first time Nasser Hospital had suffered the consequences of Israeli military operations.
In August 2025, the medical facility was hit by a double Israeli strike that killed at least 20 people, including journalists and healthcare workers.
As the largest hospital in southern Gaza, Nasser has remained a critical facility for treating casualties from the conflict, even as repeated attacks and shortages have placed enormous pressure on the territory’s healthcare system.
The latest strike has further heightened concerns about the protection of hospitals and medical personnel, particularly as Gaza’s fragile ceasefire continues to face serious challenges.
Ceasefire, but no end to the suffering
Although Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement in October last year, Israeli strikes have continued across Gaza.
Figures released by the Hamas-run Health Ministry indicate that more than 1,600 people have been killed since the agreement took effect. The United Nations has generally regarded the ministry’s casualty figures as reliable, although individual incidents remain subject to verification.
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Both sides have accused each other of violating the ceasefire, leaving residents uncertain about whether the agreement can deliver lasting security.
Beyond the airstrikes, worsening weather has added another layer of hardship for displaced Palestinians. Recent heavy rainfall reportedly flooded tens of thousands of tents, leaving families exposed to the elements after losing their homes in the war.
For many, survival has become a daily struggle against bombardment, displacement, disease and the absence of basic necessities.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led fighters attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage.
Israel’s subsequent military campaign has devastated Gaza. According to the territory’s Health Ministry, more than 74,645 Palestinians have been killed since the war began.
The latest attack on Nasser Hospital adds another grim episode to a conflict in which even places meant to protect and treat the wounded have repeatedly found themselves at the centre of violence.