Israeli strike on southern Gaza hospital kills five, Gaza civil defence says

An Israeli airstrike at a hospital in southern Gaza killed at least five people, including a surgeon, on Thursday morning, according to a spokesman for Gaza's civil defense service. The attack targeted the surgery department at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, causing significant damage. The dead surgeon was identified as Rezik Abushira.

The Israeli military has not yet commented on the incident. In recent days, Israel has intensified its attacks on the Gaza Strip, alleging that Hamas is attempting to regroup and restock its weapons. Hamas, however, maintains its commitment to a year-old ceasefire agreement and blames Israel for undermining it.

Since the ceasefire deal began, Israeli strikes in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of around 1,600 Palestinians, while Israel claims four soldiers have lost their lives. Palestinian officials estimate that over 74,000 individuals have been killed in the Israeli assault on Gaza. The conflict between Israel and Hamas escalated following Hamas-led fighters' attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which reportedly left about 1,200 people dead, according to Israeli figures.