Israeli forces have targeted al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, the largest functional hospital in northern Gaza, severely damaging its emergency unit, main entrance, and medical oxygen supplies. This incident resulted in critically ill patients being evacuated and left without proper medical care, leading to multiple deaths, including that of a child dependent on oxygen.

Reuters reports that hospital staff evacuated patients after receiving a call from a person claiming affiliation with Israeli security, just before the attack occurred. Gazan authorities have criticized the bombing, noting that the hospital was treating hundreds of patients when it was hit and that about 500 people died in the October 2023 attack on the facility.

Throughout its conflict in Gaza, Israel has repeatedly struck hospitals, with the Gaza Media Office asserting that 36 hospitals have been targeted since the start of the war on October 7, 2023. The Israeli military justifies these attacks by claiming that the facilities are used by Hamas as “command and control” centers, a claim for which evidence has not been presented.

The Government Media Office in Gaza characterizes the attack as a violation of international laws and conventions protecting medical facilities. They describe the hospital as “one of the oldest and most important health institutions” in Gaza and condemn the bombing as a grave crime.

Hamas calls the incident a “new war crime,” criticizing the Israeli military for disregarding humanitarian laws and holding the United States accountable for the “brutal crime.”

Al Jazeera correspondent Tareq Abu Azzoum reports from northern Gaza, describing the bombing as a “dramatic escalation.” He highlights the dire situation for patients evacuated from al-Ahli Hospital, noting that the loss of medical care could result in further deaths.

Razan al-Nahhas, an emergency doctor who previously worked at al-Ahli, confirms at least three deaths resulting from the evacuation, including a 12-year-old boy. She details the extensive damage to the hospital’s facilities and criticizes the placement of high-risk patients in street conditions.

Since the Israeli ceasefire with Hamas was broken on March 18, Israeli attacks have claimed at least 1,560 lives in Gaza, including 500 children. A total of 50,933 people have been killed, and 116,045 wounded since the war began in October 2023.

Earlier, Israel issued evacuation orders for residents of southern Khan Younis and central Nuseirat, warning of imminent attacks, and has reportedly isolated Rafah from the rest of Gaza. In response, Hamas fired three rockets towards Israeli territory, which were intercepted by the Israeli air force.

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/13/israeli-forces-bomb-al-ahli-hospital-in-gaza-forcing-patients-to-flee?traffic_source=rss