The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said that Israeli forces have opened fire at hospital rooms, raising fears for the safety of 12 children in paediatric care.
"The occupation (Israeli) forces have tightened the siege and the targeting of Kamal Adwan hospital, firing at patient rooms and courtyards," ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said in a statement as per news agency AFP, adding, "We fear the death of 12 children in paediatric care who are already deprived of milk and are without life support equipment."
Ashraf al-Qudra said that Israeli forces had stormed the Kamal Adwan hospital in the north of the Palestinian territory. They were rounding up men in the courtyard, the spokesman said after the United Nations humanitarian agency OCHA said two mothers were killed in the maternity department of Kamal Adwan hospital when it was reportedly hit.
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Ashraf al-Qudra said that Israeli forces had detained hospital director Ahmed al-Kahlot and other staff members who were "tortured and deprived of food and drink". Several of them were later released, he said.
The Israeli forces were also targeting Al-Awda hospital and tightening the siege of the facility, “depriving it of water, food and electricity," he said. Forces were also "preventing the wounded and sick from reaching" the hospital, he added.
{{/usCountry}}The Israeli forces were also targeting Al-Awda hospital and tightening the siege of the facility, “depriving it of water, food and electricity," he said. Forces were also "preventing the wounded and sick from reaching" the hospital, he added.
{{/usCountry}}Israeli troops have previously raided other medical facilities in Gaza, including Al-Shifa, the territory's largest hospital as the military accuses Hamas of using hospitals as command centres to plan and launch attacks against Israeli forces. There is currently only one hospital in northern Gaza able to admit patients, according to the UN while just 14 of 36 hospitals across the territory are functioning, providing limited healthcare, the World Health Organisation said.
More than 18,600 Gazans have been killed and almost 50,600 wounded since the war between Israel and Hamas erupted more than two months ago. Around 1,200 people were killed in an unprecedented attack by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7.