The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israel Security Agency (ISA) stated that the operation was a “precise strike” targeting Muhammad Abu Ismail. According to the Israeli military, Abu Ismail served as the commander of Hamas’ Khan Younis Brigade and was responsible for holding hostages in Gaza. The IDF and ISA alleged that Hamas had “established a presence within the hospital complex and used it as a command center,” asserting that weapons were stored there and that interrogations and torture were conducted from within the medical facility. The agencies shared photographs of weapons they claimed were found within the complex. In a subsequent statement, the military said it had taken steps to “mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precision munitions and aerial surveillance,” and announced it is investigating reports that medical workers and patients were killed.
Hamas rejected the Israeli allegations, describing the claims that the group was using the hospital for military operations as “lies of the criminal enemy.” The militant group labeled the attack a “war crime.” This incident represents a recurring pattern in the conflict, where the Israeli military has repeatedly accused Hamas of operating within medical facilities—charges the group has consistently denied—while hospitals, which hold protected status under international law, have been heavily targeted during Israel’s yearslong offensive.
The strike occurred despite an ongoing U.S.-backed ceasefire agreement reached in October of the previous year. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, more than 1,600 people have been killed since the truce came into effect, while Israel reports that four of its soldiers have been killed in the same period. Both sides have accused one another of violating the ceasefire terms. The attack on Nasser Hospital is not an isolated incident; in August 2025, the facility was hit by a “double tap” Israeli strike that killed at least 20 people, including journalists and health workers, an event that sparked significant international outrage.
The incident underscores the severe degradation of Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure. According to data published by the World Health Organization, of the enclave’s 37 hospitals, only two are considered “fully functioning,” 18 are partially functioning, and 17 are non-functioning. Nasser Hospital remains one of the few functioning medical facilities left following the destruction caused by the offensive. Overall, more than 74,600 people, including thousands of children, have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its offensive following the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, in which approximately 1,200 people were killed and around 250 taken hostage.
The latest strikes coincide with heavy rains and deteriorating conditions in the enclave as colder months set in, prompting renewed international outcry over the lack of progress in advancing the peace deal. The physical damage from the overnight strike shattered ceilings and left debris strewn across rooms inside the hospital, further compromising its ability to provide care. The confirmed death of Dr. Abu Shaira and the ongoing dispute over the presence of military assets in a protected medical zone highlight the complex operational and legal challenges facing the conflict, with no immediate resolution in sight regarding the status of the hospital or the broader ceasefire framework.
