Israeli air strikes have targeted three Gaza hospitals and a school, resulting in the deaths of at least 27 people. Palestinian officials have reported an ongoing ground battle at another hospital. The United States has expressed concern over the increasing death toll in the conflict. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has denounced the high number of Palestinians killed, emphasizing the need for more action to protect civilians. He welcomed the four-hour humanitarian pauses announced by the White House but stressed that further measures were necessary. Israel has faced calls for restraint but argues that Hamas militants would exploit a truce to regroup. Israel accuses Hamas of using civilians as human shields and hiding weapons in tunnels under hospitals, although Hamas denies these charges. The targeted hospitals are located in northern Gaza, where the Israeli military claims Hamas militants are concentrated. The hospitals are currently housing displaced people, patients, and medical staff. Israeli tanks have surrounded several hospitals, causing alarm among medical personnel. The director of Shifa hospital, which was hit by a missile, has accused Israel of launching a war on Gaza City hospitals. The situation has prompted the International Committee of the Red Cross to call for the protection of medical facilities, patients, and healthcare workers in Gaza. The healthcare system in Gaza is said to have reached a critical point.Israel has bombed Shifa hospital buildings five times, resulting in one Palestinian death and several injuries, according to ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qidra. Videos verified by RushHourDaily show scenes of panic and people covered in blood.
Later, Selmeyah reported that at least 25 people were killed in Israeli strikes on Al-Buraq school in Gaza City, where displaced individuals were seeking shelter after their homes were destroyed.
The Palestinian Red Cross stated that Israeli forces were shooting at Al-Quds hospital, leading to violent clashes and the death of one person, with 28 others, mostly children, wounded.
Israeli army spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hecht denied firing on hospitals but stated that if Hamas terrorists were using hospitals as a base, they would take necessary action. Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy claimed that the Hamas headquarters was located in Shifa hospital’s basement, potentially removing its protected status.
Qidra emphasized that it was impossible to evacuate the hospitals, as they were currently housing 45 babies in incubators, 52 children in intensive care units, and numerous wounded and displaced individuals.
The White House announced that Israel agreed to a four-hour daily pause in military operations in parts of north Gaza, and Palestinians were allowed to leave for seven hours along a southern road. However, the fighting continued unabated.
Palestinians reported that an Israeli missile struck the road used by people fleeing south, resulting in three deaths according to Hamas-run media.
Sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and surrounding areas to warn of Hamas rocket fire, and two women in Tel Aviv were injured by shrapnel.
The armed wing of Hamas confirmed that they were still launching rockets and shells into Israel and engaging in combat with Israeli troops in Gaza.
Even before the conflict intensified, Gaza’s hospitals were struggling with limited medical supplies, clean water, and fuel for generators.
Following the blast at Shifa hospital, many people fled the area. Ayman Al-Masri, who was wounded earlier in the war, sought shelter at the hospital with his mother and sister ten days ago. They expressed a desire for a truce and a solution to the ongoing conflict.Tens of children are being killed every day, according to a statement made by a Palestinian official. The death toll in Gaza has reached 11,078 as of Thursday, with the majority of casualties being caused by air and artillery strikes. Israel, on the other hand, claims that 1,400 people, mostly civilians, have been killed, and around 240 have been taken hostage by Hamas. They also report that 39 soldiers have died in combat since the conflict began. The World Health Organization has reported intense violence and significant bombardment at Shifa hospital and Rantissi hospital. The Palestinian health ministry later confirmed that Rantissi hospital was on fire after being directly hit. The Palestinian Health Minister, Mai Alkaila, accused Israel of targeting several hospitals in the Gaza Strip. A staff member from Nasser Children’s Hospital posted an appeal on social media, claiming that they were surrounded. Indonesia also reported damage to parts of the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza due to overnight explosions nearby. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has called for the protection of medical facilities, patients, and healthcare workers in Gaza, stating that the healthcare system has reached a point of no return. The UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) announced that over 100 UN employees have been killed since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, making it the deadliest conflict for the UN in such a short period of time.
