Two Israeli missiles struck Gaza’s major hospital on Sunday, destroying its emergency and reception wing and damaging surrounding buildings, in what Israel claimed was a focused assault on Hamas members allegedly utilizing the power.
Health officers on the Al-Ahli Arab Baptist Hospital evacuated the sufferers from the constructing after a telephone name from somebody who recognized himself as Israeli safety shortly earlier than the assault.
No casualties have been reported within the strike. The Israeli army mentioned in a press release it had taken steps to scale back hurt to civilians earlier than it struck the compound, which was allegedly being utilized by Hamas members to plan assaults.
The hospital – an establishment of the Anglican Church and a significant medical facility – was knocked out of operation, in line with Gaza’s Health Ministry.
“Hundreds of patients and injured people had to be evacuated in the middle of the night and many of them are now out in the streets without medical care, which puts their lives at risk,” mentioned the ministry’s spokesperson, Khalil al-Deqran.
Sunday’s strikes got here as Hamas leaders started a recent spherical of talks in Cairo, in a bid to salvage a stalled cease-fire settlement with Israel, as Egypt, Qatar, and the United States have stepped up efforts to bridge gaps between the perimeters.
Images circulating on social media, which Reuters couldn’t instantly confirm, confirmed dozens of individuals leaving the premises, with some aiding sufferers on hospital beds.
Reuters footage confirmed vital destruction in and outdoors the hospital compound’s church and sufferers who could not go away.
Warning
“The scene was scary, from night until now, I haven’t slept a single minute out of fear. All night, glass shattered at us inside,” mentioned an injured man, Mohammed Abu Nasser.
The Baptist Church in Jerusalem mentioned the warning to evacuate the hospital got here 20 minutes earlier than the strike that destroyed the two-storey Genetic Laboratory and broken the Pharmacy and Emergency Department buildings and different surrounding buildings.
“We call upon all governments and people of goodwill to intervene to stop all kinds of attacks on medical and humanitarian institutions,” the church mentioned in a press release.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry and Hamas condemned the assault at Al-Ahli, and mentioned in a press release that Israel was destroying Gaza’s well being care system.
Israel accuses Hamas of systematically exploiting civilian buildings, together with hospitals, which the resistance group denies. Israeli forces have carried out quite a few raids in medical services within the enclave.
In October 2023, an Israeli airstrike on a car parking zone in Al-Ahli hospital killed over 500 individuals.
Othe strikes
Separate strikes within the enclave Sunday killed at the least 14 Palestinians, together with the pinnacle of a police station in Khan Younis, within the southern a part of the enclave, in line with Hamas and well being authorities.
Six brothers have been killed when an Israeli strike hit their automobile in Deir al-Balah within the central Gaza Strip, medics mentioned.
Three extra individuals have been killed and a number of other others injured by an Israeli strike concentrating on the headquarters of the Zakat Committee of the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs in the identical metropolis.
A girl additionally misplaced her life in one other drone strike in Jabalia in northern Gaza, sources mentioned.
The struggle in Gaza was triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, incursion of southern Israel, which brought about 1,200 deaths and took 251 hostages, in line with Israeli tallies.
Israel’s genocidal struggle, compared, has killed greater than 50,000 Palestinians since, principally girls and youngsters, in line with native well being authorities. Much of Gaza is in ruins and most of its inhabitants has been displaced.
Source: www.dailysabah.com