Escalating Violence in Gaza: Kamal Adwan Hospital Under Threat
The situation in the Gaza Strip has reached a critical point as the Israeli military has requested the evacuation of Kamal Adwan Hospital, located in the northern region. This request comes amid ongoing shelling and gunfire, which has endangered the lives of dozens of patients, their families, and hospital staff. Reports indicate that contact with journalists inside the hospital has been lost, raising concerns about the safety of those remaining within its walls. The hospital's director, Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, has stated that the Israeli forces are directly targeting the facility, demanding evacuation within hours and holding the international community accountable for the escalating violence.
The Director General of the Ministry of Health in Gaza, Munir al-Barsh, emphasized that the evacuation order threatens the lives of approximately 80 patients currently receiving care. Marwan al-Hams, director of field hospitals, described the situation as a deliberate act of violence, asserting that any attempt to evacuate would likely result in death for many patients. Efforts to seek assistance from the World Health Organization and UNRWA have reportedly been unsuccessful.
Casualties Mount Amid Israeli Airstrikes
In addition to the crisis at Kamal Adwan Hospital, Israeli airstrikes have resulted in significant casualties across the Gaza Strip. Al Jazeera reported that at least 13 individuals were killed due to shelling in various locations since early Sunday. Among the casualties were eight people who died in an airstrike targeting a school sheltering displaced individuals in the Al-Daraj neighborhood, and six others killed in a bombing of a residential building in Deir al-Balah. Eyewitness accounts suggest that many of the buildings targeted were housing large numbers of displaced persons.
The violence has not been limited to northern Gaza; reports indicate that residential buildings in the Nuseirat camp were also bombed, resulting in additional fatalities, including children. The ongoing military operations have drawn international scrutiny, especially following the issuance of arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court against Israeli officials for alleged war crimes. As the humanitarian crisis deepens, with over 153,000 reported casualties since the conflict escalated on October 7, 2023, the situation remains dire for the Palestinian population in Gaza.
