Israeli strike on Nasser Hospital in Gaza kills several, civil defence says

Gaza's civil defence says an Israeli strike hit Nasser Hospital early on 12 November 2026 and killed people there. Al Jazeera and Reuters, whose report was carried by The Hindu, both attribute this account to Gaza's civil defence. Neither report describes independent verification.

According to The Hindu, the hospital is in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. The Hindu reported that the strike took place early on Thursday, 12 November 2026, and was an airstrike on a building at the hospital.

A spokesman for Gaza's civil defence service told Reuters that 20 people were wounded, according to The Hindu. The spokesman also said a surgeon was among those killed. The Hindu reported that medics identified the dead surgeon as Rezik Abushira.

The Hindu reported no immediate comment from the Israeli military. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not say whether Israel acknowledges the strike or what it says the target was.

The Hindu reported that a ceasefire agreement in Gaza has been in place for about a year, and that Israel has stepped up its attacks on the enclave.

What is disputed

• Death toll: Al Jazeera reported at least six people killed, citing Gaza's civil defence (01:20 UTC). The Hindu reported at least five killed, including a surgeon, citing a civil defence spokesman who spoke to Reuters (02:42 UTC). The reports do not explain the difference.
• Part of the hospital hit: Al Jazeera's headline said the intensive care unit was hit. The Hindu quoted civil defence spokesperson Mahmoud Basal as saying the surgery department was hit.

Vocemundi reviewed only the headline and a short summary of Al Jazeera's report. The reports do not identify the other people killed or say whether they were patients, staff or others. They do not describe the state of the hospital's operations after the strike.

What each side says

• Gaza civil defence: Spokesperson Mahmoud Basal said the airstrike hit the surgery department and caused extensive damage, according to The Hindu.
• Israel: According to The Hindu, Israel says Hamas is trying to regroup and refill its arsenal. This was given as context for stepped-up attacks, not as a comment on this strike. Israel says four Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire agreement.
• Hamas: Hamas says it is committed to the ceasefire and that Israel is trying to undermine it, according to The Hindu.
• Gaza health officials: They say at least 1,600 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire agreement.
• Palestinian authorities: They say more than 74,000 people have been killed in Israel's assault on Gaza.
• Israeli tallies: Hamas-led fighters killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel on 7 October 2023, the attack that led Israel to launch its offensive.

Analysis

The core account rests on one party, Gaza's civil defence, relayed by two outlets that differ on the toll and on which unit was hit. Those gaps may narrow if fuller reports, hospital statements or independent checks emerge. A response from the Israeli military could confirm, contest or explain the strike, which would shape how it is understood. The incident also adds to competing claims around the year-old ceasefire: Hamas accuses Israel of trying to undermine it, while Israel says Hamas is trying to regroup and refill its arsenal. Whether this strike affects the truce's durability, or the hospital's ability to treat patients, is not addressed in the reports reviewed by Vocemundi.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.