The Gaza Health Ministry reported on Friday evening that Israeli forces have entered the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, conducting searches and opening fire, putting 600 people at risk. Among those trapped are 70 medical staff members, 195 patients and injured individuals, along with their caregivers.
According to the ministry, the situation has already led to the tragic deaths of two children in the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU) due to the ongoing disruptions by the Israeli forces. The ministry also stated that three ambulances, a transport vehicle, and the hospital’s power generator have been destroyed.
The Health Ministry is urgently calling on humanitarian organizations to step in, protect those inside, and help provide essential supplies. Earlier, the ministry reported a loss of communication with hospital staff following the military incursion, during which dozens of Palestinians evacuated from the hospital were detained, stripped to their underclothes, and gathered outside in cold conditions.
The incident follows an Israeli assault on northern Gaza on October 5, described by the Israeli military as a preventive measure against Hamas’s resurgence. However, Palestinians assert that Israel’s goal is to occupy the area and forcibly displace residents.
The ongoing offensive, which began last October following an attack by Hamas, has resulted in over 42,800 deaths, predominantly women and children, and left more than 100,500 injured, as reported by local health authorities. Nearly all of Gaza’s population has been displaced due to the assault and a continuing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medical supplies.
In response to Israel’s actions in Gaza, the country is facing a genocide case before the International Court of Justice.
