Israeli forces stormed into Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahiya, north Gaza on Friday, expelling some staff and displaced people before withdrawing, according to hospital director Hussam Abu Safiya. The attack had begun with airstrikes and intense shooting, leaving bodies of people killed by airstrikes littering the streets outside.
Troops ordered all staff, patients, and displaced people into the hospital’s courtyard, but later allowed them to return inside, though some were ordered to leave permanently. Israel has accused Hamas militants of using civilian buildings like hospitals for cover, while Hamas denies this.
Kamal Adwan Hospital has been hit by renewed Israeli military operations in north Gaza against regrouping militants. “This morning, we saw hundreds of bodies and wounded individuals in the streets surrounding the hospital,” Abu Safiya said. The situation inside the hospital is catastrophic, with many dead and no surgeons left.
The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that Kamal Adwan Hospital was bombed without prior warning to staff on Thursday. The hospital is now “minimally functional”. Israel’s military says it has killed hundreds of Hamas militants in north Gaza since October, while the Palestinian Ministry of Health says at least 53 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes across the enclave.
The conflict has left Gaza’s health system severely damaged, with only half of its hospitals and clinics remaining operational. The WHO urges immediate medical care for injured patients who remain inside the hospital.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-forces-storm-into-gaza-hospital-expel-some-staff-displaced-people-its-2024-12-06