Israeli forces have launched a brutal attack on Kamal Adwan Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip, setting large sections of the facility on fire and forcing hundreds of people to evacuate.
The Gaza Ministry of Health reported that contact has been lost with the staff inside the besieged hospital in Beit Lahiya, which has been under intense pressure from Israeli forces for weeks.
Israeli soldiers entered the hospital, claiming without evidence that it was being used as a Hamas terrorist stronghold. They proceeded to set fire to the surgical department, laboratory, and storage areas of the hospital, causing the fire to spread rapidly throughout the complex.
Patients, medical staff, and injured individuals were forcibly removed from Kamal Adwan Hospital under the threat of weapons and guns. They were transferred to the Indonesian Hospital, which lacked essential medical supplies and resources.
The ongoing assault on Kamal Adwan is part of a broader campaign by Israeli forces to target medical facilities in Gaza. The hospital had already been repeatedly attacked prior to the latest raid.
Reports indicate that the Israeli army ordered 350 individuals to leave the hospital, including patients, medical staff, and their companions. The area surrounding the hospital has been cleared of people and destroyed, leading to fears that Israel intends to establish a closed buffer zone in the region.
The destruction of Kamal Adwan Hospital has dealt a devastating blow to the already fragile healthcare system in northern Gaza. Health officials confirmed that five medical staff, including a pediatrician, were killed in the attack.
Hamas has blamed Israel and the United States for the dire situation in Gaza, while the UN’s World Health Organization expressed deep concern over the targeting of civilians and healthcare facilities.
Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes in other parts of Gaza have resulted in the deaths of at least 25 people. International condemnation of Israel’s actions continues to grow, with 14 countries indicating their support for South Africa’s genocide case against Israel in the International Court of Justice.
The relentless assault on Gaza has resulted in the deaths of thousands of Palestinians and the displacement of the majority of the population. The region is now facing a humanitarian crisis, with many areas reduced to rubble.