Doctor Among Palestinians Killed in Israeli Airstrike at Gaza Hospital

Conflicting reports on deaths

A Hamas-run Civil Defence official told the BBC that at least five Palestinians died in the strike. Mahmoud Basal, the agency’s spokesperson, separately gave AFP a toll of six.

A surgeon was reported among those killed. The BBC said Israel prevents it from reporting independently inside Gaza, leaving it unable to confirm the incident’s details.

Damage inside Nasser Hospital

Videos circulated by activists showed smoke and severe damage on the building’s second floor. Medical beds and equipment appeared scattered after the blast. The director of Nasser Medical Complex told reporters the strike hit vertically. He said it badly damaged the intensive care and surgical departments serving both men and women.

Strikes amid continuing crisis

The Israel Defense Forces and Israel Security Agency said they condemned Hamas for what they described as using civilian and medical facilities for military purposes. Hospitals are protected under international law, but have repeatedly been targeted during the Gaza war.

Israeli strikes have continued despite an October ceasefire agreement. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry says more than 1,600 people have died since the agreement, and reports a total of more than 74,645 deaths in Gaza.

The humanitarian situation has also deteriorated after heavy rains. Reports said flooding affected tens of thousands of tents sheltering displaced families.