Israeli strike on Gaza hospital kills six Palestinians, including doctor

Detailed summary

At least six people have been killed and about 20 injured in an Israeli air strike on Nasser hospital, the biggest in the southern Gaza Strip, the Hamas-run health ministry says.

GAZA — At least six people have been killed and about 20 injured in an Israeli air strike on Nasser hospital, the biggest in the southern Gaza Strip, the Hamas-run health ministry says.

According to eyewitnesses, a single missile fired by a warplane hit the second floor of the Al-Yasin building at Nasser Medical Complex in western Khan Younis, Gaza’s Civil Defense said.

The hospital director said the strike caused extensive damage to the intensive care and surgical wards.

Israeli Army Radio described the attack as an “assassination operation”.

The health ministry said medical staff, patients and companions were killed, among them surgeon Dr Rizk Abu Shaira. It condemned the attack as a "flagrant violation of international laws and conventions".

The Israeli military said it targeted a commander of Hamas's armed wing and other fighters who had used the hospital as a "headquarters" to plan attacks on its forces.

Hamas said that Israel was spreading "false narratives" in a "blatant attempt to cover up a new war crime".

Under international law, hospitals have a protected status, but they have been repeatedly targeted during the Gaza war.

Israel accuses Hamas, which retains security control of parts of Gaza not occupied by Israeli troops, of cynically exploiting civilian infrastructure. It says the group stores weapons and runs command and control rooms in hospitals, which Hamas denies.

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