Officials in the Gaza Strip have reported that Israel has launched airstrikes on at least three hospitals or near them today, Friday, threatening a healthcare system already struggling with the influx of thousands of injured and displaced Palestinians. Ashraf al-Qudra, spokesperson for the Health Ministry in Gaza, stated to Al Jazeera that Israel conducted simultaneous strikes on a number of hospitals in the past hours. He added that Israel targeted the yard of Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest hospital in the city of Gaza, resulting in injuries, but he did not provide further details. Israel claims that Hamas hides command centers and tunnels beneath Al-Shifa Hospital, which the movement denies. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on al-Qudra's statement, which Reuters could not independently verify.
The Israeli campaign has caused hospitals in Gaza to struggle to cope with the number of injured people arriving, amid shortages of medical supplies, clean water, and fuel necessary for running generators. The Gaza Health Ministry reported that 18 out of 35 hospitals in Gaza and 40 other health facilities are out of service due to damage from shelling or fuel shortages. Palestinian media released footage today that purportedly shows the aftermath of an Israeli attack on a parking lot where displaced individuals were seeking shelter, under the observation of journalists. Reuters was unable to immediately verify the authenticity of the footage.
Human Rights Watch stated on social media that "as strikes and fighting continue near Al-Shifa Hospital, we are deeply concerned about the safety of thousands of civilians there, including many children, who are seeking medical care and shelter." Al-Qudra reported that Al-Rantisi Children's Hospital and Al-Nasr Children's Hospital experienced a series of attacks and direct shelling today. He added that the strikes on the grounds of Al-Rantisi Hospital set vehicles on fire, but the fire was partially extinguished.
The Indonesian Foreign Ministry stated today that explosions occurred near the Indonesian hospital overnight, causing damage to parts of the hospital located in the northern part of the narrow coastal strip. The ministry did not specify who was responsible for the explosion, nor did it report any casualties.
Washington: Israel Agreed to Ceasefire Periods
Israel claims that 1,400 people, mostly civilians, were killed and around 240 hostages were taken during Hamas's attack on October 7. Israeli sources also report that 35 soldiers have died in Gaza. Palestinian officials have announced that over 10,800 residents of Gaza have been killed until yesterday, Thursday, about 40 percent of whom are children, in Israeli airstrikes and shelling. The humanitarian disaster in the region has worsened with shortages of essential supplies such as food and water, and the shelling has displaced civilians from their homes. The Israeli military claims to have evidence that Hamas is using Al-Shifa Hospital and other hospitals like the Indonesian hospital to conceal command centers and entrances to a vast network of tunnels beneath Gaza. It states that it does not target civilians and has allowed some injured Palestinian civilians to cross into Egypt for treatment.
However, the Israeli military's advance in central Gaza city, where tanks are reportedly now about 1.2 kilometers from Al-Shifa Hospital, has raised questions about how Israel interprets international laws regarding the protection of medical facilities and the displaced taking refuge in them. Israeli airstrikes on refugee camps, a medical convoy, and near hospitals have sparked intense debates among some of Israel's Western allies about its military's adherence to international law. U.S. President Joe Biden stated in a post on social media yesterday that Israel "has an obligation to distinguish between terrorists and civilians and to fully comply with international law." The White House announced yesterday that Israel has agreed to temporarily suspend military operations in parts of northern Gaza for four hours daily, but there are no signs of an end to the fighting.
John Kirby, White House National Security spokesperson, stated that the ceasefire periods, which would allow civilians to escape through humanitarian corridors and could be used to release hostages, are an important first step. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that any ceasefires would be sporadic, and no official confirmation of a plan to implement repeated ceasefires has been issued. In response to a question of whether there would be a "halt" to the fighting, Netanyahu told Fox News: "No. The fighting continues against the enemy Hamas, Hamas terrorists, but in specific locations for a limited duration, just a few hours here or a few hours there; we want to facilitate safe passage for civilians away from the combat area, and we are doing that." Reports from the ground in northern Gaza have not indicated any reduction in fighting, with each side claiming significant losses for the other in intense street battles.
