In the early hours of November 3, 2023, an alleged Israeli bombardment hit the fifth floor of the Al-Quds Hospital in the Tal Al-Hawa area of Gaza. The incident resulted in the death of one doctor, and the injury of at least twenty-one civilians displaced inside the hospital. Significant infrastructural damage occurred. The incident was extensively documented on social media by users and news agencies.

Dr. Asmaa al-Ashqer was the sole civilian death reported in the incident. Social media users posted sympathy messages for her online.On Facebook Khalid Al-mosabi posted, “Dr. Asmaa Al-Ashqar, a doctor at Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza. She was martyred today, Pray for her and listen to her words with your hearts. And publish it as a video in all media. God is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs” Similarly, on Twitter/X @DrJamal11 posted a “Recorded message from the martyr Dr. Asmaa Al-Ashqar from Gaza.” It was, @DrJamal11 expressed, “a message [sent] 24 days before her martyrdom. May Allah punish everyone who stands with them.”  Many users circulated the audio clip where Dr Asmaa Al-Ashqar talked about the situation in Gaza and decried how they had been abandoned by the international community.

Safa.ps reported, “There were injuries and dozens of bruises as a result of the shattering of the internal glass of the Al-Quds Hospital building and the collapse of part of the plaster ceiling as a result of the bombing by [Israeli] aircraft at dawn today on the areas adjacent to the hospital in Tal Al-Hawa, west of Gaza City.” Adding more information to this, the Institute of Palestine Studies added, “The hospital’s emergency teams dealt with 21 cases of injuries that occurred inside the hospital, and the displaced people suffered from panic. The hospital continued to operate on this date despite the heavy shelling.”

Among those injured was Ramadan Ashour, a paramedic working at the hospital. Images shared by “Jenin Jenin” on Facebook show Ramadan was wounded by shrapnel on the right side of his head. Other than that “dozens” were injured, no further information about other injured civilians was available.

The damage to Al-Quds Hospital which is also where the Palestine Red Crescent holds most of its operations was widely covered online – @AlarabyTV posted a video on Twitter/X showing “The first moments of targeting the vicinity of Al-Quds Hospital in Tal Al-Hawa neighbourhood by Israeli bombing.” @Qudsn shared a video of the incident from a different angle showing massive smoke clouds adding, “Press coverage: Heavy shelling around Al-Quds Hospital in Tal Al-Hawa, west of Gaza.” Similar videos of the incident were shared by @ScreenMix and @Roaastudies depicting heavy shelling around the hospital.

The Facebook page of the Awda Satellite Channel shared a twenty-one-second clip showing damage to hospital windows and various types of shattered glass pieces all over the floor. In addition, “Abu Osama the fighter” shared an image on Facebook showing the destroyed top floors of the hospital. Al Jazeera Egypt’s video displayed numerous displaced Palestinians inside the hospital which was engulfed by dense smoke. @ShehabAgency on Twitter/X shared three images of the damage caused by the strike, the photos show broken windows, shattered glass, and a blood-stained floor.

While some sources indicated an airstrike had been responsible, others believed “shelling” was the cause. Where sources identified belligerents, all sources attributed the strike to the Israeli military.