One of the last operational hospitals in northern Gaza, Kamal Adwan in Beit Lahia, is under a severe siege, Gaza's Health Ministry reported on Friday.
Israeli forces stormed the facility, forcibly evacuating patients, staff, and families while military vehicles encircled the premises.
According to the ministry, the hospital's emergency units, surgical and operating departments, laboratory, and maintenance sections were completely burned, and the fire continued to spread through the buildings. Ambulances have been deployed to transfer the wounded to the Indonesian Hospital, as evacuations persist.
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The ministry warned that some patients are at risk of death due to worsening conditions. In response to NBC News, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the hospital was targeted based on intelligence indicating it was being used for terrorist activities. The IDF claimed it ensured the safe evacuation of civilians and medical workers before proceeding and asserted efforts to facilitate patient transfers to other facilities.
NBC News reached out to Gaza’s Health Ministry for a reaction to Israel’s claims that the hospital harbored militants.
Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, head of Kamal Adwan, reported via social media that Israeli forces set fire to the hospital’s operating rooms while staff were still inside, and some personnel had been detained. Communication with the hospital was later lost, leaving the fate of staff and patients unclear.
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The attack followed an Israeli airstrike on a nearby building Thursday, which killed around 50 people, including five healthcare workers, the Health Ministry said. Victims included pediatrician Dr. Ahmed Samour, laboratory technician Esraa, and maintenance worker Fares, who was struck while trying to assist others.
Abu Safia condemned the strike as part of an ongoing series of attacks targeting the hospital and its personnel. Previous assaults killed multiple medics and patients, including ICU director Dr. Ahmed al-Kahlout.
With Kamal Adwan, Beit Hanoun, and Indonesian hospitals now inoperable, northern Gaza’s healthcare system has collapsed, the Health Ministry stated.
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The conflict erupted after Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, killed 1,200 Israelis, according to Israeli authorities. In response, Israel’s offensive has killed over 45,000 Palestinians, devastated Gaza’s infrastructure, and crippled its health services, local officials report.
An October U.N. report accused Israel of systematically dismantling Gaza’s healthcare facilities as part of broader attacks, committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. The U.N. warned that the destruction of medical facilities could have severe long-term consequences for Gaza’s civilian population.
Source: NBC News