Israel faces more pressure to protect Gaza civilians amid ‘horrific’ casualties at biggest hospital
- The crisis at Gaza’s biggest hospital Al-Shifa has become ‘catastrophic’ as casualties rise, according to aid workers
- Israel has denied targeting hospitals and accused Hamas of using medical facilities in Gaza as hideouts
Israel faced growing calls on Saturday to protect civilians in Gaza as its battle with Hamas encircled the territory’s main hospital, where an aid agency described the situation as “catastrophic”.
Heavy fighting between Hamas and Israeli forces has raged near Gaza’s biggest hospital, Al-Shifa, a correspondent at the scene said, stretching the area’s already crippled health system.
The Hamas government and the hospital’s director said a strike on the key health facility on Friday killed 13 people. They accused Israel of being responsible – a claim that was impossible to verify.
“We call on all international and Arab parties to immediately intervene to stop the targeting of hospitals in Gaza,” said a spokesman for the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, Ahsraf Al-Qudra.
The hospital suspended operations after fuel ran out, Qudra said, adding: “As a result, one newborn baby died inside the incubator, where there are 45 babies.”
“We are working hard to keep them alive, but we are afraid we may lose them in the coming hours,” he said. “There is no electricity in the hospital completely.”
