In yet another harrowing attack on Gaza’s collapsing healthcare system, Israeli forces unleashed a barrage of airstrikes near the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Younis, killing at least 28 Palestinians and wounding over 70. The strikes, which included devastating fire belts, struck densely populated areas and a family home sheltering civilians. Many victims remain trapped beneath the rubble, unreachable due to continued shelling.

Civil defence crews were among the injured as they tried to recover the dead and rescue survivors. The targeted house, where more than twenty people were hiding, was torn apart, leaving no clear path to extract the bodies. Among the victims are entire families, including children and elderly residents, killed in their own homes or while seeking treatment.

The European Hospital itself, already struggling to function, was overwhelmed by the influx of wounded. Medical staff described scenes of horror, with patients and children being thrown to the ground by the shockwaves, and even international humanitarian workers narrowly escaping injury. With its capacity exceeded and parts of its infrastructure damaged, the hospital declared it could no longer cope. Emergency services at Nasser Medical Complex were placed on high alert as they received the overflow of casualties.

Journalists covering the bombing were also targeted, with three injured while documenting the aftermath. Witnesses say the attack came as families were gathering at the hospital courtyard, hoping to evacuate or receive care. One journalist spoke of being hurled into the air, only surviving thanks to a collapsing metal canopy that shielded him from flying debris.

This latest massacre follows a string of assaults on Gaza’s medical institutions, including the deadly strike on the surgical building of Nasser Medical Complex that killed journalist Hassan Tasilih. With each passing day, hospitals—once places of healing—are becoming sites of bloodshed and despair.

After more than 580 days of siege and bombardment, Gaza’s agony deepens in the face of a silent international community. The civilian death toll now exceeds 52,000, with over 119,000 injured. These are not just numbers—they are lives cut short, dreams buried in dust, and families shattered beyond repair.