Israel Bombs Gaza’s Last Functioning Hospital, Sparking Outrage

CAIRO  –  Israel on Sunday struck the last functioning hospital in Gaza, further worsening an already critical lack of medical facilities in the enclave. Two Israeli missiles hit the major Gaza hospital on Sunday, knocking out the emergency department and damaging other structures, medics said, in a strike which Israel said was aimed at Hamas fighters exploiting the facility.

Health officials at the Al-Ahli Arab Baptist Hospital evacuated patients after a phone call from someone who identified himself as Israeli security shortly before the attack. No casualties were reported in the strike. The Israeli military said in a statement it had taken steps to reduce harm to civilians before it struck the compound, which was being used by Hamas fighters to plan attacks. Hamas rejected the accusation as “lies” and called for an international investigation.

The hospital – an institution of the Anglican Church – was knocked out of operation, according to 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,” said ministry spokesperson Khalil Al-Deqran.

Sunday’s strikes came as Hamas leaders began a fresh round of talks in Cairo in a bid to salvage a stalled ceasefire agreement with Israel, with Egypt, Qatar, and the United States attempting to bridge gaps between the sides. Separate strikes in the enclave on Sunday killed at least 30 Palestinians, including the head of a police station in Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Hamas-run enclave, according to Hamas and health authorities. Six brothers were killed when an Israeli strike hit their car in Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza Strip, medics said.

Images on social media showed dozens of people leaving the hospital, with some assisting patients in their beds.

A wire service footage showed significant destruction in and outside the hospital compound’s church, and patients who couldn’t leave.

“The scene was scary. From last night until now, I haven’t slept a single minute out of fear. All night, glass was shattering over us inside,” said an injured man, Mohammed Abu Nasser.

Also See: More Than 50,000 Killed In Gaza Since Israel’s Offensive Began

The Baptist Church in Jerusalem said the warning to evacuate the hospital came 20 minutes before the strike that destroyed the two-storey Genetic Laboratory, and damaged the Pharmacy and Emergency Department buildings and other surrounding structures.

“We call upon all governments and people of goodwill to intervene to stop all kinds of attacks on medical and humanitarian institutions,” the church said in a statement.

The Palestinian foreign ministry and Hamas condemned the attack, saying Israel was destroying Gaza’s healthcare system.

The war in Gaza was triggered by Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

Since then, more than 50,900 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli offensive, according to local health authorities. Much of Gaza is in ruins and most of its population has been displaced.

Israel says Hamas systematically exploits civilian structures, including hospitals, which the militant group denies. Israeli forces have carried out numerous raids in medical facilities in Gaza.

In October 2023, a deadly blast at a parking lot in the compound of Al-Ahli hospital was blamed by Hamas on an Israeli airstrike. Israel said a failed rocket launch by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group had caused the blast.

The fighting group denied it was responsible. An investigation by Human Rights Watch concluded the explosion was most likely caused by a failed Palestinian rocket launch.

This news is sourced from The Nation and is intended for informational purposes only.