An Israeli airstrike on Gaza's largest hospital in the south killed a senior Hamas official Sunday, intensifying Israel's renewed military campaign in the Palestinian territory. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed the strike targeted Ismail Barhoum, a member of Hamas' political bureau, at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.
Barhoum was receiving medical treatment when the surgical wing of the hospital was struck, according to Hamas, which labeled the attack a "cowardly" assassination. Videos circulated showing fires and chaos inside the facility following the strike.
The IDF and Israel Security Agency said in a joint statement the operation was aimed at a "key terrorist in the Hamas terrorist organization" who was "operating inside" the hospital. Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of using hospitals, including Nasser Hospital, as command centers-a claim Hamas denies.
The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said the strike occurred while "many patients and wounded" were inside, wounding several people, including medical staff. The ministry added the attack forced a full evacuation of the surgical department after significant destruction.
Nasser Hospital has been repeatedly shelled since the war began following Hamas' surprise October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. Israeli forces previously raided the hospital in February, claiming hostages were held there. Hamas has denied military use of medical facilities.
The strike comes as Israel escalates its offensive following the breakdown of a ceasefire with Hamas last week. Gaza's Health Ministry reported that at least 673 Palestinians have been killed and 1,233 wounded since fighting resumed, bringing the total death toll in Gaza to 50,021 since October.
Among those killed Sunday was a 16-year-old boy recovering from surgery, the health ministry said. Separately, Hamas confirmed another senior official, Salah Bardawil, was killed along with his wife in an Israeli strike on Muwasi.
Hospitals across Gaza reported receiving an additional 24 bodies from overnight strikes, including women and children. Dr. Munir al-Boursh, general director of Gaza's Health Ministry, stated that the dead include 15,613 children, with 872 under one year old.
Israel claims it has killed approximately 20,000 Hamas fighters but has not provided evidence, while Gaza's Health Ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants, reporting that women and children comprise more than half the casualties.
The latest hostilities follow Israel's decision to end the January ceasefire, which had temporarily paused over a year of conflict. The ceasefire, established after Hamas' October 7 attack that left about 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 taken hostage, was intended to enable hostage releases and humanitarian aid.
Israel's military has since ordered thousands of Palestinians to evacuate Tel al-Sultan in Rafah, forcing residents to flee to the Muwasi area. "It's displacement under fire," said journalist Mustafa Gaber, who fled with his family. Amal Nassar, another displaced resident, described tanks and drones nearby. "The elderly have been thrown into the streets," she said.
The Palestinian Red Crescent reported losing contact with a 10-member team in Rafah after Israeli strikes, later confirming some were wounded. Israel's military said it had fired on "suspicious vehicles" and later found ambulances and fire trucks among them.
Meanwhile, Israel's Cabinet approved the establishment of 13 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, rezoning existing outposts. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced the decision, which anti-settlement watchdog Peace Now says increases the number of settlements to 140, granting them independent budgets and local governance.
