Gaza's Health Ministry says Nasser Hospital has lost power

Early Friday, the Hamas-led Health Ministry said on its Facebook page that the hospital's power supply had failed, endangering the lives of six adult patients and three infants in intensive care who relied on oxygen. About 40 minutes later, another message said three of the patients had died.

The Israeli army's evacuation orders before the attack on the Nasser complexwhich had been the largest functioning hospital in Gaza, with thousands of civilians sheltering on the grounds, raised alarm among international observers.

“Nasser is the backbone of the health care system in southern Gaza,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization. wrote on X earlier in the week. “It needs to be protected.”

The Israeli military said late Thursday it was continuing its search for hospital sites. Vice Admiral Daniel Hagari, the Israeli army's chief spokesman, said his forces had not located any hostages taken during the October 7 Hamas attack. The military previously said the attack on Nasser Hospital was partly based on intelligence that prisoners had been held there and that their bodies may be on the hospital grounds.

Admiral Hagari also identified three people he said were on the grounds of the Nasser Hospital linked to the October 7 attacks, or of an armed group, in an apparent attempt to strengthen the justification for the raid.

One man was an ambulance driver who had transported hostages to Gaza as part of the Hamas attacks, and another admitted taking part in the killings that day, Admiral Hagari said. A third man was a “known” member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, he said.

“We have found dozens more,” he said, saying the military would provide additional details in the coming days.

Several people were killed and injured in Thursday morning's raid, including at least one doctor and a patient. Video footage showed chaotic scenes in the hospital's smoke-filled corridors, with parts of the ceiling collapsing and wire and beams sticking out as stretchers rushed past.