GAZA/JERUSALEM, March 23 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army on Sunday killed Ismail Barhoum, a member of Hamas' politburo, and at least four other Palestinians in an airstrike on the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian medical sources and eyewitnesses.

Local sources and eyewitnesses told Xinhua that an Israeli drone targeted the second floor of the emergency building in the complex, where the surgery department is located, with at least one missile, causing a large fire.

Medics confirmed to Xinhua that medical workers immediately recovered the bodies of five people, including Barhoum, along with a number of injured persons, some in critical condition.

"The Israeli army targeted the surgery building inside the Nasser Medical Complex a short while ago, which housed many patients and wounded, and a large fire broke out there," Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement in the evening.

Later, Hamas confirmed the death of Barhoum, saying he was receiving treatment in a hospital ward when the attack happened.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces said Sunday night that they launched an attack on the Nasser Hospital compound in southern Gaza, claiming they targeted a Hamas official.

In a joint statement, the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet domestic security agency described the official as a "key" Hamas militant, who was "operating inside the Nasser Hospital compound" in Khan Younis, without providing the official's name and identity.

They added that "the strike was conducted following an extensive intelligence-gathering process and with precise munitions, in order to mitigate harm to the surrounding environment as much as possible."

Nasser Medical Complex is the second-largest hospital in Gaza and has been subjected to several Israeli attacks since the outbreak of the war on Oct. 7, 2023. Enditem

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