An Israeli airstrike on Nasser Hospital in the Gaza Strip killed six people and injured 27 others, the United Nations said .
The strike hit the second floor of the Al-Yasin building at the Nasser Medical Complex in western Khan Younis . Gaza's Civil Defense said 30 people were injured, while the hospital director reported extensive damage to the intensive care and surgical wards .
UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq conveyed the reaction of Ramiz Alakbarov, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process ad interim, who said he was "deeply alarmed by the Israeli airstrike on Nasser Hospital in Gaza last night" . Alakbarov said the ongoing violence and recent increase in military operations exacerbate the immense human suffering in Gaza and jeopardize the increasingly fragile ceasefire .
Haq said international humanitarian law obliges all parties to protect medical personnel and facilities, adding: "Such facilities must not be targeted or used for military purposes" . He relayed comments from World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who called Gaza's health facilities "lifelines" for its people . Since October 2023, the WHO has documented more than 1,000 attacks on healthcare in Gaza, resulting in deaths, injuries, and damaged facilities .
Israeli Army Radio described the attack as an "assassination operation" but provided no details . Israel carried out the strike against alleged Hamas members, according to reports . The Israeli military claims Hamas uses hospitals for military activities, a charge the group denies .
According to Doctors Without Borders, Nasser Hospital is one of the last partially functioning medical facilities in the enclave . A volunteer reported that six operating rooms were destroyed .
Haq also said a separate strike on Thursday hit the vicinity of UN facilities in Deir al-Balah, where UN staff are sheltering . He said it was for Israeli authorities to explain why the strike occurred .
The UN special coordinator reiterated his call for rapid, safe, and unimpeded access for humanitarian assistance, including durable shelter materials and winterization items, as the coldest months approach .
A British volunteer surgeon filmed the aftermath of the strike, capturing the immediate impact and devastation at the medical facility .
