Israeli military attacks on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 120 Palestinians in the past 48 hours, Palestinian doctors said Saturday, and a hospital on the northern edge of the enclave was attacked, injuring medical staff and destroying equipment. Has been damaged.
Health officials said the dead included seven members of a family whose home was attacked overnight in the Zitoun suburb of Gaza City. The rest were killed in separate Israeli attacks in central and southern Gaza.
Additionally, Israeli forces stepped up their incursions and bombardment of the enclave’s northern edge, their main offensive since early last month.
A spokesman for Hamas’ armed wing said a female Israeli hostage in the group’s custody was killed in the northern region under attack by Israeli forces.
Spokesman Abu Ubaida blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, saying “the life of another female prisoner living with him is in imminent danger.”
An Israeli military spokesman said it was investigating the Hamas report.
“At this point, we are unable to confirm or deny this,” the spokesperson said. “Hamas continues to engage in psychological terrorism and is acting in a brutal manner.”
A group representing the families of the hostages did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Hospital damage, injuries
Israel’s military says its operation in northern Gaza aims to prevent Hamas fighters from carrying out attacks and regrouping. Local residents say they fear the goal is to permanently clear a strip of the area as a buffer zone, which Israel denies.
At Kamal Adwan Hospital, one of three medical facilities on Gaza’s northern edge that are barely operational, director Hussam Abu Safia said the ongoing Israeli bombardment of the area is aimed at forcing hospital staff to evacuate – something he has since refused to do. Infiltration started.
“The bombing directly targeted the entrance to the emergency and reception area several times between noon and midnight yesterday (Friday),” he said in a statement, adding that 12 staff members, including doctors and nurses, were injured. Went.
He said the strike caused extensive damage, disrupting power generators, oxygen supply networks and water supplies.
Asked to comment on Abu Safiya’s statement, the Israeli military said that after a preliminary review it was “not aware of an attack in the area of Kamal Adwan Hospital”, adding that it was doing so to avoid harming civilians. Makes every possible effort.
Israel says Hamas uses hospitals and civilians as human shields, and has made public videos and photos to support that claim. Hamas rejected the accusations and said it does not target civilian populations or use facilities for military purposes.
Israel’s 13-month campaign in Gaza has killed more than 44,000 people and displaced almost all of the enclave’s population at least once, according to Gaza officials.
Israel has said the war was launched in response to an attack by Hamas-led fighters that killed 1,200 people and captured more than 250 hostages in Israel on October 7, 2023.
Months of efforts to negotiate a ceasefire have made little progress and talks are now stalled, with mediator Qatar suspending its efforts until the sides agree to make concessions.
Hamas wants an agreement that would end the conflict, and pave the way for the release of Israeli and foreign hostages held in Gaza, as well as Palestinians jailed by Israel, while Netanyahu has said the war would be only for Hamas. It can end only after it is over.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
