Israeli forces bombed Al-Ara Arab Hospital in Gaza, the largest functional hospital in northern Gaza, destroying emergency forces, the main entrance and medical oxygen supply.
After fleeing the attack early Sunday morning, the severely ill patient was left on the streets, reporting that at least three people, including a child taking oxygen, had died from evacuation.
Hospital staff began evacuating patients from the building after saying they received a call from someone identifying Israeli security and themselves shortly before the attack, according to Reuters.
Gaza authorities have condemned the bombing and are noting that Al Ali Hospital is treating hundreds of patients when it is attacked by at least two missiles. Around 500 people were killed when Israel bombed the hospital in October 2023.
Israel repeatedly attacked hospitals in Palestinian enclaves with immunity through devastating war. The Gaza Media Office says Israel has targeted 36 hospitals since the war began on October 7, 2023.
Israeli military said the hospital is being targeted as it is being used as a “command and control” centre by the “terrorist organization Hamas.” “Measures have been taken to reduce the chances of harm to civilians and hospitals, including providing early warnings in the area.”
Israel has previously argued that attacks on civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, are necessary to target armed fighter jets. However, it does not provide evidence to support that claim.
The Gaza government media office described the attack as “a serious violation of the Geneva Convention that prohibits the targeting of all international charters and health facilities.”
In a statement, Al Ali Hospital was “one of the oldest and most important health institutions” in Gaza and described the bombing as a “severe” and “bad” crime.
Palestinian group Hamas described the attack on hospitals as “a new war crime” and said Israeli military has not considered humanitarian law and norms. The United States was held responsible for “brutal crimes.”
“Dramatic escalation”
Tareq Abu Azzoum of Al Jazeera, reporting from Deia El Bala in northern Gaza, said the bombing was a “dramatic escalation.”
“Certainly ill patients, including patients in surgical and emergency units, are left without shelter or oxygen,” he said.
“In fact, some people may die from the loss of this medical care, not just the attack itself.”
Razan Al Nahas, an emergency physician working in central Gaza who previously worked at Al Ali Hospital, said at least three people have been reported to have died after forced evacuation, including a 12-year-old boy with head injuries.
“He was taking oxygen like the other two patients. The family basically walked to a nearby hospital. [the patients] said Al Nahas, who is in the city of Der El Barra.
Al-Nahhas said the attack had damaged “labs, pharmacies, emergency departments, all oxygen tanks” at Al-Ahli hospital.
“There are so many patients on the street,” she added. “I can’t even imagine a scene of a patient and his family being scattered across the street and trying to find a way to a place for medical care.”
“They are very high-risk patients who need to be closely monitored without lying or scrambling on the streets trying to find their way to another medical facility.”
“It’s very scary and people in this area have nowhere to go to this area, and unfortunately it’s an area where the surrounding area is very heavily targeted,” she said.
The attack comes after Gaza’s Health Ministry said the Israeli attack killed at least 1,560 people in Gaza as it violated a ceasefire with Hamas on March 18.
A total of 50,933 people have been killed and 116,045 have been injured since the start of the war in October 2023.
Earlier on Saturday, Israel ordered residents of South Khan Yunis and Central Nusairat to leave immediately, warning “with great force” of impending attacks. Also on Saturday, Israeli forces said they had surrounded Rafa and cut it off from the rest of Gaza.
The forced displacement order came, as Hamas said on Saturday it fired three rockets from the Gaza Strip towards Israeli territory.
Israeli forces said the Air Force had intercepted all three rockets. No victims have been reported.
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