An Israeli airstrike targeted the Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza early Thursday, November 12, 2026, killing six people and wounding at least 12 others. The Gaza Health Ministry reported that the strike hit the facility's surgery department and confirmed that a doctor was among those killed. Parts of the building's second floor were destroyed in the attack, according to an Associated Press journalist at the scene.
The Israeli military stated it carried out the strike to target a senior Hamas militant and other individuals operating within the hospital complex. Officials from the military described the facility as a command center for military and terrorist activities, though they did not provide evidence for the claim. Israel has frequently stated that Hamas and its allies utilize medical facilities as cover for military operations.
Nasser Hospital, located in the city of Khan Younis, is one of the few medical facilities still functioning in Gaza. The region's healthcare infrastructure has been heavily damaged by three years of conflict. This is not the first time the hospital has been targeted; in 2025, an Israeli strike at a gathering point for reporters within the complex killed five journalists, including an Associated Press contributor.
The scale of the conflict is significant, with more than 74,600 people killed in Gaza since the war began on October 7, 2023, following an attack by Hamas-led militants that killed 1,200 people in Israel. Despite a U.S.-backed ceasefire that went into effect in October 2025, violence has continued. Since that truce began, Israeli strikes and gunfire have killed 1,622 people in Gaza, while five Israeli soldiers have been killed during the same period. For households in Gaza, these statistics translate to a consistent threat of military action even during periods of nominal ceasefire.
The knock-on effects include the further degradation of Gaza's medical capacity and the potential for increased pressure on international diplomatic efforts to enforce the existing truce. As Israel currently controls at least 60% of the enclave, its military decisions directly dictate the safety and movement of the civilian population. What happens next depends on the findings of international observers and whether the Israeli military releases evidence regarding the presence of militants in the hospital. No specific court dates or official hearings regarding this specific strike have been scheduled.