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Israeli strike destroys last fully functional hospital in Gaza City
Since the outbreak of war, tens of thousands of Gazans have sought refuge in hospitals, many of which have suffered severe damage in the ongoing hostilities.
The strike on Al-Ahli Hospital in northern Gaza – also known as the Baptist or Ahli Arab Hospital – caused no casualties, but came a day after Israeli forces seized a key corridor in the territory and signaled plans to expand their campaign, AFP reported.
“The bombing led to the destruction of the surgery building and the oxygen generation station for the intensive care units,” Gaza’s civil defense rescue agency said.
The blast left a gaping hole in one of the hospital’s buildings, with iron doors torn from their hinges.
Patients, relatives and medical personnel evacuated the Al-Ahli hospital in haste following the military’s warning. Many found themselves stranded in the surrounding streets.
The Israeli military claimed that Hamas fighters were operating “a command and control center” inside the hospital compound.
Hamas condemned what it described as a “savage crime” committed by Israel “with blatant US cover and complicity”, dismissing the claim that the facility was a used militarily. Qatar also denounced the strike as “a heinous crime”.
Hospitals, protected under international humanitarian law, have repeatedly been hit by Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas on October 7, 2023.