At least 16 individuals have lost their lives and dozens more have sustained injuries following an Israeli airstrike on the European Hospital in Khan Younis, as reported by the Hamas-run health ministry. The assault involved Israeli warplanes dropping six bombs in a synchronized attack on the hospital, impacting both its inner courtyard and the surrounding vicinity.
Details of the airstrike and its aftermath
The Israeli military characterized the operation as a “precise strike” targeting “Hamas terrorists in a command and control center” that it alleged was located beneath the hospital. Among those injured in the airstrike is a freelance journalist associated with the BBC, who is currently in stable condition after receiving medical treatment.
The strike caused significant damage, resulting in multiple deep craters within the hospital grounds, which buried several vehicles, including a large bus. The deceased and the wounded were transported to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, where medical teams are reportedly facing challenges in managing the influx of casualties.
Previous attacks exacerbate the situation
Adding to the chaos, the emergency department of Nasser Hospital was reportedly struck again earlier on Tuesday. Eyewitness accounts suggest that a prominent Palestinian photojournalist was among the three fatalities in this subsequent attack. Hassan Aslih, who was receiving treatment for injuries sustained in a prior Israeli strike, was targeted in what witnesses described as a drone attack on the hospital’s surgical wing. A medical professional confirmed that Aslih had been at the facility for nearly a month after surviving a previous airstrike in April that claimed the life of his colleague, Helmi al-Faqawi, and injured several other journalists.
“The Israeli military had previously accused him of involvement in the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel,”
In a statement, the IDF and the Israeli Securities Authority (ISA) asserted that Hamas “continues” to utilize hospitals in Gaza for its operations, a claim that has been long denied by the group. Reports from Israeli media indicate that the airstrike specifically targeted Mohammed Sinwar, a senior Hamas figure and younger brother of Yahya Sinwar, the former Hamas leader in Gaza.