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

An Israeli airstrike on a building at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, killed at least five people, including ‌a surgeon and wounded 20 others early on Thursday, a spokesman ‌for Gaza's civil defence service told Reuters.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. Mahmoud Basal, the spokesperson for the territory's civil defense, said the Israeli airstrike hit ⁠the ​surgery department at Nasser ⁠Hospital, causing extensive damage.

Medics identified the dead surgeon as Rezik Abushira. Israel, which has ⁠stepped up its attacks on the enclave, says Hamas is trying to regroup ​and refill its arsenal. Hamas says it is committed to a ⁠year-old ceasefire agreement and accuses Israel of trying to undermine it.

At least 1,600 Palestinians have ⁠been ​killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since the ceasefire agreement, according to the territory's health officials, while Israel says four soldiers have been ⁠killed. Palestinian authorities say more than 74,000 people have been killed in Israel's assault ⁠on Gaza. ⁠Israel launched its offensive after Hamas-led fighters killed about 1,200 people, by Israeli tallies, in southern Israel in an ‌attack ‌on October 7, 2023.