--- title: "Strike on Nasser Hospital in Gaza: at least six dead, including a surgeon and a 13-year-old boy" description: "An Israeli strike on Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis has claimed at least six lives, including a surgeon and a 13-year-old boy. The Palestinian side claims there was no warning; Israel asserts the target was a Hamas commander." date: 2026-11-12T18:54:08.715Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/strike-on-nasser-hospital-in-gaza tags: [israel, gaza, hamas, nasser-hospital, airstrike, ceasefire, medical-facility, khan-yunis] author: "Andrey Kosynko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Strike on Nasser Hospital in Gaza: at least six dead, including a surgeon and a 13-year-old boy ![Wounded man on a stretcher after the Israeli strike on Nasser Hospital in the Gaza Strip](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/12/udar-po-gospitalyu-nasser-v-gaze-minimum-shhest-pogibshikh/udar-po-gospitalyu-nasser-v-gaze-minimum-shhest-pogibshikh-1.webp) ## Key Points - The Israeli Air Force struck the surgical building of Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis on the night of November 12; at least 6 people died, 20–28 were wounded. - Among the dead are surgeon Rizk Abu Shaira (52), a 13-year-old boy, and Khaleda Abu Anza; two British doctors confirmed no warning was given. - Israel claims the target was Hamas Khani Yunis brigade commander Muhammad Abu Ismail, and that Hamas used the hospital as a command center. - The attack occurred during a US-backed ceasefire; Hamas called it a 'brutal crime'. On Thursday night, November 12, the Israeli Air Force struck the surgical building of Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian enclave's Ministry of Health, at least six people were killed in the attack, and at least 20–28 others were wounded. Among the dead are 52-year-old Palestinian surgeon Rizk Abu Shaira, 13-year-old Jahad Naim Muhammad Abu Tilih, and Khaleda Abu Anza. The strike destroyed ceilings and left rubble in the wards of one of the few remaining functional medical facilities in Gaza after Israel's years-long military campaign. ### "There was no warning" The head of the surgical department at Nasser Hospital, Dr. Ayman Abu Obeid, stated that there was "no notification, no warning, or anything else" before the attack. "Suddenly there was fire and shelling, the walls collapsed instantly," he described the moment of the strike, which occurred shortly after midnight. According to him, only medical staff providing care to patients were in the building at that time. Two British surgeons—consultant in general and colorectal surgery Goher Rahbur and limb reconstruction specialist Stefan Werborg—confirmed they received no warning from the Israeli military. Werborg, who was 15–20 meters from the impact point, recounted: "I heard the impact and felt the blast because the whole hospital shook. You could smell the smoke and see the dust." ### Israel: the target was the commander of the Khani Yunis brigade The Israeli Air Force and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) said in a joint statement that the target of the strike was Muhammad Abu Ismail, whom they identified as the commander of the Hamas Khani Yunis brigade, "responsible for holding hostages in Gaza." According to Israeli authorities, Hamas had "established a presence inside the hospital complex and used it as a command center," storing weapons and conducting interrogations and torture there. The statement also reported that measures were taken to "minimize harm to civilians, including the use of precision munitions and aerial surveillance," and that "prior warnings" were issued to the population. The Israeli military stated it is investigating reports of the deaths of medical staff and patients. ### Dr. Abu Shaira: "Did not leave his post for a single day" The deceased surgeon, Rizk Abu Shaira, was featured in the 2026 documentary "American Doctor," which followed three American doctors providing medical aid in Gaza. The Director-General of the Gaza Ministry of Health, Muhammad Zaqout, addressing a crowd of mourners by the body covered in a shroud, said: "Dr. Rizk was in the hospital throughout the entire war. He did not leave his duties for a single day." British surgeon Rahbur, who operated alongside Abu Shaira that same day, recalled that on Wednesday evening they were "laughing and joking" hours before their colleague's death. Both British doctors arrived in Gaza in early November through the British charity IDEALS, which provides humanitarian aid in conflict zones, and stated they saw no signs of Hamas presence in the hospital. ### Hamas calls the attack a "brutal crime" In response to the strike, Hamas stated it was a "brutal crime directed against a civilian medical facility." The attack took place amid an ongoing ceasefire supported by the United States, which observers note further exacerbates tensions surrounding the truce. Nasser Hospital confirmed the death of 53-year-old Khaleda Abu Anza, whose sister Tahani Ibrahim Abu Anza reported his death. The Israeli military, in turn, called Abu Anza a "Hamas operative," but his family did not directly confirm his involvement with the organization. The Israeli publication Ynet reported that the commander of the Khani Yunis brigade with the same name was killed in the strike, but the IDF stated it would "return to this matter." ### Context: a hospital on the brink Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis remains one of the few functional medical facilities in the Gaza Strip after Israel's years-long military campaign, which, according to international organizations, has led to the destruction of a significant portion of the enclave's healthcare infrastructure. The strike on the surgical building deprived the region of yet another emergency care point. The total number of casualties is estimated by various sources at between 20 and 28; final figures were not reconciled at the time of publication. ## Accounts differ ### Warning before the hospital strike - **Gaza Ministry of Health and hospital doctors:** No notification, warning, or signal was received before the attack; only medical staff and patients were in the building. ([nbcnews.com](https://www.nbcnews.com/world/middle-east/israeli-strike-gaza-nasser-hospital-abu-shaira-doctor-hamas-rcna608932)) - **Israeli Air Force and Shin Bet:** Prior warnings were sent to the population; the strike targeted a Hamas commander using the hospital as a command center. ([nbcnews.com](https://www.nbcnews.com/world/middle-east/israeli-strike-gaza-nasser-hospital-abu-shaira-doctor-hamas-rcna608932)) *Where they agree:* A strike was carried out on Nasser Hospital, both sides confirm this. ### Number of wounded - **Gaza Ministry of Health (per Business Standard):** At least 20 people were wounded. ([business-standard.com](https://www.business-standard.com/world-news/israeli-airstrike-on-gaza-hospital-kills-6-injures-20-sparks-tensions-126111201929_1.html)) - **Local medical officials (per NYT):** 28 people were wounded. ([nytimes.com](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/11/world/middleeast/nasser-hospital-gaza-strike-israel.html)) *Where they agree:* People were wounded in the strike, but the exact number was not finalized at the time of publication. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Israeli strike on Gaza’s Nasser Hospital kills at least six people, officials say](https://www.nbcnews.com/world/middle-east/israeli-strike-gaza-nasser-hospital-abu-shaira-doctor-hamas-rcna608932) - Primary source: strike details, names of the deceased, doctor quotes, IDF/Shin Bet statement, role of IDEALS, documentary film. - [Israeli airstrike on Gaza hospital kills 6, injures 20; sparks tensions](https://www.business-standard.com/world-news/israeli-airstrike-on-gaza-hospital-kills-6-injures-20-sparks-tensions-126111201929_1.html) - Confirms 6 dead and 20 wounded according to Gaza Health Ministry. - [Israeli Strikes on Gaza Hospital Kill 6 and Injure Dozens, Health Officials Say](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/11/world/middleeast/nasser-hospital-gaza-strike-israel.html) - Indicates 28 wounded, two shells, name of hospital director Ahmad al-Farra, Hamas statement. - [Israeli Strike on Gaza Hospital Kills Six, Including Surgeon, Medics Say](https://gvwire.com/2026/11/12/israeli-strike-on-gaza-hospital-kills-six-including-surgeon-medics-say/) - Confirms 6 dead, including a surgeon. ## FAQ ### How many people died in the Nasser Hospital strike? According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, at least six people were killed, including surgeon Rizk Abu Shaira, 13-year-old Jahad Naim Muhammad Abu Tilih, and Khaleda Abu Anza. The number of wounded is estimated at 20–28 according to various sources. ### Who does Israel claim was the target of the strike? The Israeli Air Force and Shin Bet stated the target was Muhammad Abu Ismail, identified as the commander of the Hamas Khani Yunis brigade responsible for holding hostages. They claim Hamas used the hospital complex as a command center. ### Was the population warned about the strike? The Palestinian side and two British surgeons present at the hospital stated that no warning was given. The Israeli military stated that "prior warnings were sent to the population." Discrepancies in accounts persist. ### What happened to the ceasefire? The strike occurred amid an ongoing US-backed ceasefire. Hamas called the attack a "brutal crime directed against a civilian medical facility." No official revision of the truce terms has been recorded at the time of publication.