Israel bombs Gaza hospital, forcing patients to flee

Critically ill patients were left on the street after fleeing the attack in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Authorities in Gaza have condemned the bombing, noting that al-Ahli Hospital was treating hundreds of patients when it was hit by at least two missiles.

In October 2023, Palestinian health officials said nearly 500 people had been killed in an Israeli air attack on the al-Ahli Hospital. Israel attributed the explosion at the facility to a misfired rocket launched by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, an allegation denied by the armed group.

Israel has repeatedly attacked hospitals in the Palestinian enclave with impunity throughout its devastating war – according to the Government Media Office in Gaza, Israel has targeted 36 hospitals since October 2023.

Israel has in the past claimed that attacks on civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, are necessary to target armed fighters. It has, however, not provided proof to back its claims.

The Government Media Office in Gaza described the attack as a “flagrant violation of all international charters and the Geneva Conventions prohibiting the targeting of medical facilities”.

It announced in a statement that al-Ahli Hospital was “one of the oldest and most important health institutions” in Gaza, describing the bombing as a “heinous” and “terrible” crime.

Hamas called the attack on the hospital as a “new war crime”, and said the Israeli military had no regard for humanitarian laws and norms. It held the United States, Israel’s main ally, responsible for the “brutal crime”.

The attack came after Gaza’s Ministry of Health said Israeli attacks have killed at least 1,560 people since Israel broke a fragile ceasefire with Hamas on March 18. According to Palestinian Civil Defence spokesperson Mahmoud Basal, at least 500 children are among the dead since Israel resumed its offensive.

In its latest update on Sunday, the Health Ministry in Gaza said at least 50,944 Palestinians have now been confirmed and 116,156 wounded since the start of the war.

On Saturday, the Israeli military said it had encircled Rafah, in the south of Gaza, cutting it off from the rest of the territory. It also ordered residents in Khan Younis and Nuseirat to leave immediately, warning of imminent attacks “with great force”.

The forced displacement orders came as Hamas said it had fired three rockets from the Gaza Strip towards the occupied territories. The Israeli military said its air force intercepted all three rockets. No casualties were reported.