The Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet security agency carried out an airstrike Thursday targeting a senior Hamas commander and other terrorists hiding at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. The main target was the commander of Hamas' Khan Younis Brigade, whose predecessor was eliminated just two months ago.
The IDF and Shin Bet identified the target as Mohammed Abu Ismail, commander of Hamas' Khan Younis Brigade. According to the security agencies, Abu Ismail was responsible for overseeing the brigade's operatives and directing them to plan and carry out terrorist attacks against IDF troops and Israeli civilians. He was also responsible for holding numerous Israeli hostages captive throughout the war.
In a joint statement, the IDF and Shin Bet said the terrorists were targeted to eliminate a threat after turning part of Nasser Hospital into a command center. From the facility, they planned dozens of attacks against IDF troops and worked to rebuild the brigade's capabilities after it suffered severe losses during the war. According to the IDF, Hamas had established a presence inside the hospital complex and converted it into a headquarters for military and terrorist operations against Israeli forces and the State of Israel. The military also said the compound was used to store weapons and conduct interrogations.
The IDF and Shin Bet said Hamas' activities at Nasser Hospital constituted a flagrant violation of international law and a cynical exploitation of civilian infrastructure. The security agencies added that advance warnings were issued to civilians before the strike and that precision-guided munitions and aerial surveillance were used to minimize the risk of civilian casualties.
Meanwhile, Palestinian reports said six people were killed and another 20 wounded in the strike, according to a spokesperson for Gaza's Civil Defense.
Sources within Hamas told the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat on Thursday that one of the terrorists targeted in the strike was Khaled Abu Anza, 53, a senior Hamas figure in the southern Gaza Strip.
According to the sources, Abu Anza oversaw all of Hamas' operations in southern Gaza, including its military wing, political leadership and governing apparatus. They said he held a position equivalent to that of Moein al-Arbid, who was arrested during an Israeli operation in September. Several of Abu Anza's bodyguards were also reportedly killed in the strike.
One Hamas source claimed that Gaza-based militias, acting in coordination with the Shin Bet, had attempted to raid the Nasser Hospital complex several months earlier to arrest Abu Anza. According to the source, the operation was thwarted after Hamas arrested a suspect accused of collaborating with Israel.
