The United Nations said on Friday that it was alarmed by an Israeli airstrike that hit Nasser Hospital in Gaza. The attack killed six people and injured 27 others, while damaging the medical facility.
,Deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters that the strike hit the second floor of the Al-Yasin building at the Nasser Medical Complex in western Khan Younis. Gaza Civil Defense figures indicated that the strike injured a total of 30 people.
,The hospital director stated that the bombing caused severe destruction to the intensive care and surgical wards. Israeli Army Radio described the operation as an assassination, though it provided no further details.
,Ramiz Alakbarov, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process ad interim, warned that escalating military operations worsen human suffering and threaten the fragile ceasefire. Haq shared these remarks during a press briefing.
,Alakbarov renewed demands for rapid, safe, and unimpeded humanitarian access. He stressed the need to deliver durable shelter materials and winterization supplies as colder months approach.
,Haq reminded all warring parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law. He emphasized that medical personnel and facilities, including hospitals, must be respected, protected, and kept free from military use.
,World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described health facilities in the territory as essential lifelines. Haq noted that the WHO has documented more than 1,000 attacks on healthcare in Gaza since October 2023, leading to numerous deaths, injuries, and damaged buildings.
,Haq also addressed a separate strike on Thursday that landed near United Nations facilities in Deir al-Balah where staff members were sheltering. He confirmed that all UN personnel in the area were accounted for and remained safe, and stated that Israeli authorities must explain the cause of that strike.
,Responding to a journalist who questioned why officials avoided using harsher language regarding the attack on a medical facility, Haq defended the response from senior leadership. He noted that Alakbarov and Dr. Tedros had both spoken out against the violence.
,Haq stated that repeating specific words does not automatically halt fighting, but officials continue working through diplomatic channels to ensure legal duties are met.
