Israel says strikes targeted a Hamas commander at Nasser Hospital in Gaza during a ceasefire. Then hospital staff reports who actually died
'No notice or warning.'
An Israeli airstrike hit the Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza recently, killing at least six people despite an ongoing ceasefire. According to NBC News, the attack struck a surgery building inside the facility, claiming the lives of both medical personnel and patients. Among those killed was Dr. Rizk Abu Shaira, a Palestinian surgeon who appeared in the 2026 documentary American Doctor.
The Israeli military and the Israel Security Agency stated they targeted a senior Hamas member, Muhammad Abu Ismail, along with other militants. The military alleged that this commander served as the head of the Hamas Khan Younis Brigade and held responsibility for keeping hostages. Israeli officials claimed that Hamas established a presence within the hospital complex, using it as a command center for interrogations, torture, and weapons storage. They shared images of weapons they claimed were found inside.
The Israeli military stated that steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians, mentioning the use of precision munitions and aerial surveillance. They also claimed that advance warnings were issued to the population before the strike. The military is currently looking into reports regarding the deaths of medical staff and patients.
Hospital staff, however, offered a different account of the event
Dr. Ayman Abu Obeid, the head of the surgery department at Nasser Hospital, said there was no notice, warning or anything before the hospital was attacked. He stated that he was not aware of any resistance fighters or combatants present, only a medical team treating patients. He described the moment of impact as sudden, with walls brought down instantly.
Two surgeons from the U.K., Dr. Goher Rahbour and Dr. Stephan Verborg, were inside the hospital when the missile struck shortly after midnight. They both confirmed they were not aware of any warning from the Israeli military.
Verborg described hearing the impact and feeling the explosion, noting that the whole hospital shook. He stated that he was about 15 to 20 meters away from the point of impact and could smell smoke and see dust. Rahbour said he had been laughing and joking with Dr. Abu Shaira just hours before the surgeon was killed.
Deadline reports that Watermelon Pictures, which distributes the documentary American Doctor, expressed that it was appalled and devastated by the news. The company noted that Dr. Mohammed Odainy, another surgeon featured in the film, was critically injured in the attack and is fighting for his life.
Dr. Feroze Sidhwa, one of the American physicians featured in the film, described his professional relationship with the Palestinian surgeons as an intimate partnership. He stated that Dr. Rizk Abu Shaaira and he performed a complex surgery on a man with shrapnel injuries. He called the death of his colleague an unforgivable crime.
‘A painful reminder that the crisis documented in their film continues’
The director of the film, Poh Si Teng, said that Dr. Abu Shaira was among the extraordinary medical professionals whose courage and humanity they sought to honor. She stated that his death is a painful reminder that the crisis documented in their film continues.
A 13-year-old boy, identified as Jihad Naeem Muhammad Abu Tilikh, was also confirmed among those killed. Another individual, 53-year-old Khaled Abu Anza, died in the strike while at the hospital for physical therapy. His sister, Tahani Ibrahim Abu Anza, said he did not come to the hospital to engage in combat or resistance. She stated he came for medical treatment.
Hamas condemned the allegations that it used the hospital for military operations as lies of the criminal enemy and labeled the attack a war crime. While hospitals have protected status under international law, they have been heavily targeted during the yearslong offensive. Data from the World Health Organization shows that out of 37 hospitals in Gaza, only two are considered fully functioning.
This is not the first time Nasser Hospital has been targeted
In August 2025, a double tap Israeli strike killed at least 20 people, including health workers and journalists. The current strike occurred during a U.S.-backed ceasefire that began in October 2025. Since that truce started, more than 1,600 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
The ongoing violence has left a significant portion of the population living in tents or makeshift shelters. As of now, more than 74,600 people have been killed in Gaza since the offensive began in October 2023. Medical Aid for Palestinians stated that the overnight attack was yet another indication that the so-called ceasefire has brought neither safety nor an end to Israel’s attacks on the healthcare system.
Both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the ceasefire agreement. The Israeli military said it would address inquiries regarding whether a specific Hamas commander was directly targeted in this incident.
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