DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) A Palestinian medical charity announced that Israel has destroyed its primary medical center in Gaza City following an evacuation order. The Palestinian Medical Relief Society reported that an Israeli airstrike leveled its six-story facility located in the central Samer area, which was a crucial provider of blood donation and testing services, trauma care, cancer treatment, and management of chronic diseases.
The Israeli military has yet to comment on the incident, but it has a history of targeting hospitals in Gaza during ongoing hostilities. This strike is part of a broader campaign where multiple medical facilities have been bombed, causing widespread concern about the humanitarian impact on the region, which is already grappling with a severe medical crisis.
In a related development, Israeli authorities declared a complete closure of the border crossing between the occupied West Bank and Jordan. This decision follows an attack last week that resulted in the deaths of two Israelis. The Allenby Bridge Crossing, also known as King Hussein Bridge, is the sole crossing for Palestinians that does not lead to Israel and is pivotal for the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
As Israeli forces push further into Gaza City, multiple hospitals have had to cease operations. Israel has accused Hamas militants of using medical facilities for military purposes, a claim that could undermine the protections these facilities enjoy under international law. However, the military has often provided insufficient evidence to substantiate claims of significant militant presence in these hospitals.
The head of the World Health Organization, in partnership with the Palestinian Medical Relief Society, condemned the attack on the health facility, emphasizing that attacks on healthcare must cease immediately. The WHO chief called for a halt to the violence and a ceasefire through a social media post.
According to the medical charity, another one of its centers was damaged and surrounded by Israeli forces, while a third facility was destroyed in a separate assault. The Gaza Health Ministry reported that both the Al-Rantisi Children’s Hospital and the Specialized Eye Hospital had suspended operations due to the progression of Israeli military activities in the vicinity.
Amid the crisis, several Western nations have urged Israel to establish a medical corridor allowing Palestinians in Gaza to access treatment in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. A collective statement from 24 countries, including Canada, France, and Germany, has called for the lifting of restrictions on medical supplies destined for Gaza, following mounting international criticism directed at Israel over the ongoing military campaign.
Historically, Israel has occupied East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza since the 1967 war. Palestinians seek to reclaim these territories as part of their aspirations for a future state. Before this latest escalation, Israel initiated a significant offensive aimed at taking control of Gaza City in October 2023, a move that has already resulted in mounting casualties and severe humanitarian crises.
The Gaza Health Ministry has reported over 65,000 Palestinian casualties as a result of the war, though the distribution between civilians and combatants remains unclear. This data, while managed by the Hamas-led government, is often viewed by the United Nations and independent observers as reliable in wartime casualty assessment.
Amid the turmoil, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has become increasingly dire. The world’s foremost authority on hunger crises recently indicated that ongoing military actions and the Israeli blockade have driven Gaza City towards famine. Over 300,000 individuals have reportedly fled from the city, while an estimated 700,000 remain amidst dire conditions.
In another separate incident on Tuesday, a Palestinian man identified as Saeed Murad Naasan, 20, succumbed to injuries sustained from gunfire by Israeli settlers in the village of al-Mughayyir, located east of Ramallah. The Israeli military asserted that troops had fired rounds in response to stones thrown at civilians, marking this incident as under review.
Since the outbreak of the current conflict, Hamas and its affiliated militants are reported to have killed approximately 1,200 individuals, predominantly civilians, during their attack on October 7, 2023. The casualties in Gaza continue to escalate, exacerbating the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region.
