Israeli Airstrikes Target Areas Near Gaza’s Remaining Operational Hospitals, Resulting in Palestinian Casualties
Israeli military forces have intensified their assaults on the Gaza Strip, targeting locations near a limited number of operating hospitals, significantly impacting the civilian population as the humanitarian situation deteriorates. Medical officials have reported that at least 83 Palestinians lost their lives during the attacks on Thursday, underscoring the urgent humanitarian crisis in the region.
The latest missile strikes have focused on areas surrounding al-Shifa and al-Ahli hospitals, which serve as critical care centers for the ailing population. The assaults have disrupted the already fragile lifelines that provide essential medical services to the sick and wounded. Tragically, these attacks resulted in the deaths of at least 15 individuals near al-Shifa and four near al-Ahli in separate incidents.
In response, Hamas decried the military actions as a “full-fledged war crime,” particularly alarming given the recent release of a United Nations report documenting allegations of genocide against Palestinians. The group framed these attacks as a blatant defiance of international norms and a show of contempt for global humanitarian standards.
UK Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer expressed his horror over the bombing of the al-Rantisi hospital, which specializes in caring for injured children. The violent strikes have forced evacuations, with many patients remaining in precarious conditions as airstrikes escalate.
In a tragic turn, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) mourned the loss of a nurse, Hussein Alnajjar, a father of three who succumbed to shrapnel injuries inflicted by the ongoing bombardments. Alnajjar had dedicated his efforts to delivering medical care in the challenging environments of Deir el-Balah and Khan Younis.
The recent UN inquiry, which has classified Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocidal, highlighted the catastrophic destruction of the Al Basma IVF center. This obliteration of vital reproductive health services represents a broader trend aimed at dismantling Gaza’s health infrastructure, described by the UN as “medicide”—a systematic effort to eliminate medical care for the population.
As the military campaign intensifies, those in Gaza City are facing unprecedented levels of bombardment, with residents reporting relentless attacks involving ground, air, and naval forces. The humanitarian toll is staggering: amid ongoing violence, families have succumbed to despair, and reports from the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor indicate that entire neighborhoods are becoming uninhabitable.
Amid these hardships, individuals continue to confront a landscape altered irrevocably by conflict. Despite Israeli authorities designating certain areas as “safe zones,” such as al-Mawasi, these locations also experience bombings. Health officials warn of grave shortages in basic necessities, including water and food, leading to rampant disease in overcrowded camps.
As conditions deteriorate, the UN’s humanitarian office warns that famine is increasingly prevalent in northern Gaza, where aid efforts have been severely hindered. Since the onset of hostilities in October 2023, the death toll has risen sharply, with over 65,000 Palestinians reported dead and countless others wounded, amplifying the urgent need for humanitarian assistance and international intervention.
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