🚨 Flames engulfed parts of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza on Friday as Israeli forces raided the facility, ordering dozens of patients and hundreds of others to evacuate, according to Palestinian Health Ministry officials.
Munir Al-Bursh, director at the Health Ministry, stated that contact with staff inside the hospital in Beit Lahiya had been lost. \"The occupation forces are inside the hospital now and they are burning it,\" he declared.
The Israeli military asserted that it had tried to limit harm to civilians and had facilitated the secure evacuation of civilians, patients, and medical personnel prior to the operation.
Youssef Abu El-Rish, the Hamas-appointed deputy health minister, accused Israeli forces of setting fire to the surgical department, laboratory, and a storehouse within the hospital.
In a statement published by the official news agency WAFA, the Palestinian presidency labeled the Israeli actions as a \"serious crime\" and a flagrant violation of international law, calling on international health institutions to protect medical personnel and patients.
Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the operation was initiated following intelligence indicating the presence of \"terrorist\" infrastructure and operatives in the area of the hospital.
Hamas denied any militants were present in the hospital. \"We categorically deny the presence of any military activity or resistance fighters in the hospital,\" Hamas stated, accusing the IDF of aiming to justify its actions.
Much of the area around the northern towns of Jabalia, Beit Hanoun, and Beit Lahiya has been cleared of people and systematically razed, fueling speculation that Israel intends to keep the area as a closed buffer zone after the fighting in Gaza ends.
The ongoing conflict continues to escalate, impacting countless lives and raising urgent calls from international communities for peace and protection of civilians. 💔
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
