Wire reporting: (AFP, via CNA)

Gaza health and civil-defence officials said an Israeli airstrike early Thursday hit Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, killing six people, including a surgeon^1,3,4.

Civil defence spokesman Mahmoud Basal said the strike struck the surgery department; The National reported he placed it on the second floor of the Al Yasin building inside the Nasser Medical Complex^1,5.

Gaza's health ministry identified the dead surgeon as Rizk Abu Shaira, also rendered Rezik Abushira, and said attacking a medical facility with patients and staff violated protections for hospitals^4,5.

The Israeli military later said it had targeted Muhammad Abu Ismail, whom it described as commander of Hamas's Khan Yunis brigade, and other militants it said were operating inside the hospital, and accused Hamas of using the site as a command center^2,3,4,6.

CNA and France 24, citing AFP, said Abu Ismail's death was not confirmed and that his name did not appear on a civil-defence list of victims; Hamas denied military use of the hospital and called the strike a war crime^2,4,6.

Casualty counts differ by outlet and hour: CBS News cited at least a dozen wounded and BBC at least 20; CNA, citing health officials, said Israeli fire killed 11 people in Gaza on Thursday, six of them at the hospital^1,2,3.

BBC said it could not verify details independently because it is prevented from reporting from inside Gaza¹.