9 ay önce

Israel besieges two more hospitals in Gaza, demands evacuation — PRCS

Israel is demanding the complete evacuation of staff, patients and displaced people from al-Amal's facilities, using smoke bombs to force them out, the Palestinian Red Crescent reports.

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Al-Shifa, one of the few operational healthcare facilities in northern Gaza, has also been sheltering some of the nearly 2 million civilians displaced by the war. / Photo: AA

Israeli forces have besieged two more Gaza hospitals, pinning down medical teams under heavy gunfire, the Palestinian Red Crescent said.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said that one of its staff was killed when Israeli tanks suddenly pushed back into areas around al-Amal and Nasser hospitals in the southern city of Khan Younis amid heavy bombardment and gunfire on Sunday.

Israeli armoured forces sealed off al-Amal Hospital and carried out extensive bulldozing operations in its vicinity, the Red Crescent said in a statement, adding: "All of our teams are in extreme danger at the moment and are completely immobilised."

It said Israeli forces were now demanding the complete evacuation of staff, patients and displaced people from al-Amal's premises and were firing smoke bombs into the area to force out its occupants.

The Israeli military said its forces were hitting "infrastructure" in Khan Younis, used as gathering points for many fighters. Hamas denies using hospitals for military ends and accuses Israel of war crimes against civilian targets.

Hospitals under heavy Israeli fire

The health ministry in Gaza said dozens of patients and medical staffers had been detained by Israeli forces at al-Shifa in Gaza City in the enclave's north, which has been under Israeli occupation for a week.

Al-Shifa is one of the few healthcare facilities even partially operational in north Gaza, and - like others - had also been housing some of the nearly 2 million civilians - over 80% of Gaza's population - displaced by the war.

Khan Younis residents said Israeli tanks also advanced in a western neighbourhood near Nasser Hospital under cover of heavy fire from the air and ground.

In Rafah, Gaza's southernmost town on the Egyptian border town that has become the last refuge for half of Gaza's uprooted population, an Israeli air strike on a house killed seven people, health officials said.

Israel claimed it had captured 480 Hamas fighters in continued clashes at Gaza's main al-Shifa Hospital.

Hamas wants any truce deal to include an Israeli commitment to end the war and withdraw forces from Gaza. Israel has ruled this out, saying it will keep fighting until Hamas is eradicated as a political and military force.