Israeli forces launched an operation on Friday targeting the Kamal Adwan Hospital, located on the northern periphery of the Gaza Strip. Large sections of the hospital were set ablaze, prompting the evacuation of dozens of patients and hundreds of others, according to officials. The Gaza health ministry reported they lost communication with staff inside the Beit Lahiya hospital, which has been particularly pressured by Israeli military actions in recent weeks.
Civil emergency services and medics reported that Israeli strikes elsewhere in Gaza resulted in at least 25 deaths, including 15 individuals in a single household in Gaza City. The director of Gaza’s health ministry, Munir Al-Bursh, indicated that occupation forces had entered the hospital and were responsible for the fires.
The Israeli military insisted efforts were made to minimize civilian harm, stating that secure evacuations were facilitated prior to operations. However, detailed information was not provided. They attributed the offensive to operational activities by Hamas from the hospital premises during the conflict.
Hamas-appointed deputy health minister Youssef Abu El-Rish alleged that Israeli forces ignited fires in the surgical department and other facilities within the hospital. The medical staff in Gaza mentioned that, similar to other hospitals, Kamal Adwan has been a repeated target amid ongoing assaults on Gaza’s northern region.
During the operation, the military ordered 350 individuals, including 75 patients and their companions, along with 185 medical personnel, to vacate the premises for a nearby school utilized as a shelter. Patients and medical staff were reportedly relocated to the Indonesian Hospital, which had suffered significant damage and was evacuated previously.
Reports emerged showing smoke rising from the vicinity of Kamal Adwan, although Reuters could not immediately verify the footage. Much of the area surrounding the northern towns has been depopulated and destroyed, stirring speculation about Israel’s future intentions for the region. Despite denials from Israel, the military campaign appears aimed at preventing Hamas’ ability to regroup.
Additionally, medical staff reported fatalities among their colleagues due to Israeli fire at Kamal Adwan, including a pediatrician. The Israeli military expressed unawareness of the strike and pledged to investigate the incident. Hamas has held Israel and the United States accountable for the hospital situation. The ongoing conflict, stemming from a Hamas attack on southern Israel in October 2023, has resulted in over 45,300 Palestinian deaths, according to enclave health officials. The population displacement has left much of Gaza in desolation.
