The key facts
- An Israeli strike early on Thursday hit the surgical ward on the second floor of the Al-Yasin building of the Nasser complex in Khan Younis
- At least six Palestinians were killed, including surgeon Dr. Rezik Abushira, and about 20 people were wounded
- The UAE Foreign Ministry and the foreign ministers of 17 Arab and Islamic countries issued condemnations
Strike on the Surgical Ward and the UAE Reaction
Early on Thursday, an Israeli airstrike hit the Nasser hospital complex in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. According to Gaza civil defense spokesman Mahmoud Basal, the strike hit the surgical ward on the second floor of the Al-Yasin building and caused extensive destruction. Medics told the Reuters agency that at least six Palestinians were killed, including surgeon Dr. Rezik Abushira, and about 20 more people were wounded. Photographs published by the agency show collapsed ceilings, hanging cables and rubble in the damaged rooms.
Statement by the UAE Foreign Ministry
On Saturday, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement condemning the strikes as a violation of international humanitarian law and warning that the continuation of Israel's military escalation worsens the humanitarian crisis in the territory. The ministry reaffirmed the UAE's rejection of strikes on civilians and civilian infrastructure, stressing the importance of protecting medical facilities and medical workers during armed conflicts. According to the statement, the priority must be protecting civilian lives and the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian and medical aid to Gaza. The Foreign Ministry also called on the international community to intensify efforts to establish a credible political path to comprehensive peace, once again reaffirming the UAE's long-standing support for the two-state solution.
Joint Statement by 17 Countries
The foreign ministers of 17 Arab and Islamic countries joined the condemnation of Israel's ongoing strikes on civilians, as well as restrictions on humanitarian aid and medicines, signing a joint statement: Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Algeria, Palestine, Libya, Mauritania, Djibouti, Somalia, Turkey, Pakistan, Indonesia and Sudan.
Series of Strikes the Day Before
The strike on the hospital was part of a series of attacks across the Strip. On Tuesday, Israeli strikes on Gaza killed at least seven Palestinians, according to medics. In the Zeitoun district of Gaza City, an airstrike on the roof of a shelter for displaced people killed Fadi Rajab and his 13-year-old son Abubakr, medics reported. In the Daraj district, another Palestinian was killed: medics said the strike hit near a school, while media reported it hit the Ghubayn family home. Later on Tuesday, according to medics and the Palestinian agency Wafa, three more people were killed in a strike on a metalworking workshop in the Sabra district, and one person was killed by Israeli fire in Khan Younis. The Israeli army said it had struck militants in Zeitoun and Daraj without further details; it did not comment on the other attacks.
