Conflict

Israel and Gaza (from 2023)

Incident Code

ISPT261224na

Location

بالقرب من مستشفى كمال عدوان، مخيم جباليا, Vicinity of Kamal Adwan Hospital, Beit Lahia, North Gaza, Palestinian territories

Geolocation

31.538611, 34.501111
Accuracy: Nearby landmark

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 9, 2025

In the early hours of Thursday, 26th December 2024, a medic was killed in what appears to be a ‘double tap’ strike in front of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia, Gaza Strip. Maintenance technician, 21-year-old Fares Khalil Ibrahim al-Hawdali, was responding to a first strike that had harmed civilians outside of the hospital when he was killed in a second attack.

According to Dr Hussam Abu Sufia, Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, when Al-Hawdali saw the scene of the initial strike, he rushed to try to save anyone he could, but he was killed instead.

The news was part of multiple press releases by the Gazan Health Ministry. They wrote, “Fares Al-Hawdali was also killed while trying to rescue the injured.”

Saed Abu Nabhan, Al-Hawdali’s cousin, posted on Facebook about the death and shared a picture of him smiling and wearing a black zip-up jacket and jeans. “May God have mercy on you,” he wrote in his tribute. The late Fares appeared to be a very young man, with a clean-shaven round face and dark hair and eyes. Matching his name to an entry in the ninth Palestinian Ministry of Health (MoH) list of fatalities, Airwars determined it likely that Fares was 21-years-old when he was killed.

Another cousin, Yasmin Salah, also posted following the death, saying it was a “sorrow” in their hearts. She shared a photo of Al-Hawdali lying down, legs outstretched, wearing a black t-shirt and jeans.

Safa News, Anas Al Shareef, and MSDR News also reported on Al-Hawdali’s death.

The following day, at 12:54 PM, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) posted to Telegram, declaring a raid on the Kamal Adwan hospital. The statement declared the ground operation, but not the preceding strikes. In line with Airwars’ methodology, researchers have not recorded this as a declared strike but have saved the IDF Telegram post in relation to this incident, and will update the associated strike status should additional information become available.

Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the attack to the Israeli military.

Assessment Updates

15 July 2025
Geolocation added. Incident had not been geolocated when originally published.

Victims

Individuals

Fares Khalil Ibrahim al-Hawdali فارس خليل ابراهيم الهودلي
21 years old male killed Matched to MoH ID 409773520

Key Information

Military Actor
Strike Type
Airstrike
Strike Status
Likely strike
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Fair
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Civilians reported killed
1

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the vicinity of Kamal Adwan Hospital (مستشفى كمال عدوان) in Beit Lahia (مخيم جباليا), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.538611, 34.501111. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Military Statements

Israeli Military Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Israeli Military
Israeli Military position on incident
Not yet assessed
Israeli Military Strike Report
IDF: Following prior IDF and ISA intelligence regarding the presence of terrorist infrastructure and operatives carrying out terror activities in the area of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Jabaliya, soldiers of the 401st Brigade under the command of the 162nd Division began operating in the area in the last few hours. The Kamal Adwan Hospital serves as a Hamas terrorist stronghold in northern Gaza, from which terrorists have been operating throughout the war. Since the most recent targeted operation by the IDF and ISA in the area in October 2024, it has once again become a key stronghold for terrorist organizations and continues to be used as a hideout for terrorist operatives. This is despite repeated calls by the IDF to refrain from exploiting the hospital for military activities. The troops are conducting targeted operations in the area while mitigating harm to uninvolved civilians, patients, and medical personnel. The Hamas terrorist organization systematically violates international law by abusing civilian infrastructure and the Gazan population as shields for its terrorist activities. In order to mitigate harm to the civilian population in the area, IDF troops facilitated the secure evacuation of civilians, patients, and medical personnel prior to the operation. This was coordinated by COGAT with local officials in the health authorities and international organizations, and conducted via defined evacuation routes and with ambulances for transportation to additional hospitals in the Gaza Strip to ensure continued medical treatment. The IDF and COGAT continue to make extensive efforts to enable patients to continue receiving care in other hospitals by facilitating the evacuation of patients from the Kamal Adwan Hospital, the ongoing transfer of supplies, food, and fuel to the area, and the restoration of operations of hospitals in the area, while maintaining ongoing communication with hospital officials. The IDF will continue to act in accordance with international law regarding medical facilities, including those where Hamas has chosen to embed its military infrastructure and conduct terrorist activities in blatant violation of international law.

Media from Sources (11)