IDF strikes Hamas command center inside Gaza hospital

The Israel Defense Forces overnight Monday carried out a precision strike targeting Hamas terrorists inside the Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip.

According to the IDF, the hospital compound was being used as a command-and-control center for planning and executing attacks against Israeli civilians and military personnel.

The military identified the site as a hub for senior Hamas officials, including the successor of Ismail Barhoum, the former head of the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip and of Hamas’s finances and institutions. Barhoum was killed in a separate Israeli strike in March.

Among those reportedly eliminated in the strike was Hassan Aslih, a so-called Gaza “journalist” with close ties to slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Aslih gained notoriety for broadcasting live images from a burning Israeli tank during the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre. According to Hebrew media reports, he was a personal friend of Sinwar and served as a propaganda tool for the terror group.

The IDF on Tuesday accused Hamas of operating within the hospital to shield its activities, calling it a “cynical and brutal” exploitation of Gaza’s civilian population.

Military officials said steps were taken to minimize civilian casualties during the strike, including the use of precision-guided munitions, aerial surveillance and intelligence-gathering efforts.

The IDF reiterated its commitment to continuing operations against Hamas to ensure the security of Israeli citizens.