IDF Strikes Hamas Facility at Nasser Hospital, Gaza Claims Brigade Commander Killed

Palestinian media in Gaza reported Thursday that Khaled Abu Anza, identified as Hamas's Khan Yunis Brigade Commander, was killed in an Israeli airstrike overnight. The strike targeted a building within Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis. The IDF has not officially commented on the reports, stating they are awaiting confirmation of the strike's success. Palestinian sources claim at least six people were killed in the attack, including a surgeon and a teenager, with over 20 others injured. One of the reported fatalities, Murad Abu Zarifa, is alleged by Palestinians to be the individual who abducted Adina Moshe from Kibbutz Nir Oz.

Israeli security forces have long alleged that Hamas uses Nasser Hospital as a base of operations. The Shin Bet and IDF intelligence have reportedly been monitoring the hospital for an extended period. In August, the IDF revealed that Hamas operated a torture and interrogation facility within the hospital, which was also targeted in the recent strike. Security officials suggest the hospital functions as a day clinic, with Hamas operatives present during evening and night hours, in addition to intelligence indicating their presence in the targeted facilities.

The strike was reportedly carried out by a drone that fired two to three missiles. The operation was managed by the IDF Southern Command's fire center, with intelligence support from the Shin Bet. In January 2024, Palestinian reports indicated the IDF had besieged the hospital, with the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) stating at the time that Hamas operates from and around Nasser and Al-Amal hospitals in Khan Yunis, citing systematic use of hospitals by the organization, including firing rockets from Nasser Hospital.

In February, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported observing armed men, some masked, within Nasser Hospital. The organization had temporarily suspended its activities in Gaza after refusing to provide Israel with a list of its Palestinian staff. MSF stated that armed men were seen in various parts of the hospital complex, not in areas where MSF operated. The organization noted a worsening situation since a ceasefire, with reports of unacceptable conduct including armed presence, intimidation, arbitrary arrests of patients, and suspected arms transport, posing serious security threats to staff and patients. MSF had formally expressed concerns to relevant authorities, emphasizing the incompatibility of these violations with their mission and the need for hospitals to remain neutral civilian spaces free from military presence or activity.

If Abu Anza's death is confirmed, he would be the third Hamas Khan Yunis Brigade Commander to be eliminated since the war began. Abu Anza held the position for two months, succeeding Mohammed Yazouri, who was killed on September 11. Prior to Yazouri, Rafi Salameh, who was killed in July 2024 along with Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas's military wing, held the post. The IDF has also recently targeted Hamas brigade commanders in other areas, including Nael Abu Abeid, the Rafah Brigade Commander, on September 16, and Ez al-Din Bich, the Northern Gaza Brigade Commander, approximately two weeks later.