A deadly Israeli airstrike struck Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza, resulting in the tragic loss of hundreds of lives, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The hospital was fully operational, serving patients, healthcare providers, and internally displaced individuals seeking shelter within its walls. The World Health Organization has strongly condemned the attack on the hospital.
In a conflicting narrative, the Israeli military denied responsibility for the bombing, citing military intelligence that suggested the hospital was hit by a failed rocket launch from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad military group within the enclave. The hospital was one of 20 medical facilities in the northern Gaza Strip facing evacuation orders from the Israeli military. However, carrying out the evacuation has proved impossible due to the current state of insecurity, the critical condition of many patients, and the severe shortage of ambulances, medical staff, available bed capacity, and alternative shelter for those who have been displaced.
The situation in Gaza has grown increasingly dire as Israel prepares for a potential ground attack on the 141-square-mile territory. This offensive is aimed at rooting out Hamas militants held responsible for what U.S. and Israeli officials have described as the most lethal assault against Jews since the Holocaust. Israel has continued its punishing airstrikes across Gaza as the prospect of a ground invasion looms large.
Simultaneously, Hamas militants have persisted in launching rocket attacks, exacerbating tensions near the Israel-Lebanon border. As a result, the death toll in Gaza continues to rise, with at least 2,778 people killed and 9,700 wounded, as reported by the Health Ministry in Gaza. In Israel, more than 1,400 people, the vast majority of whom were civilians, have lost their lives in the ongoing conflict.
The situation is compounded by the deteriorating condition of hospitals in Gaza, as they are on the brink of losing electricity, endangering the lives of thousands of patients. Additionally, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who have been displaced from their homes are struggling to find basic necessities, including bread. With the taps running dry, many have resorted to drinking contaminated or sewage-filled water, posing a significant risk of disease outbreak.
The chaos in the region has emerged just ahead of President Biden’s scheduled visit to Israel and amidst evacuations from Israeli towns and cities along the border with Gaza. The plight of hostages taken during the recent events has dominated Israeli media, with constant interviews featuring their worried relatives.
Israeli officials have vowed to maintain the siege of Gaza until the hostages are released, further intensifying the crisis. Meanwhile, in Gaza, more than 400,000 displaced individuals in the southern part of the territory have crowded into schools and other facilities managed by the U.N. agency for Palestinians. Unfortunately, the agency reports having only one liter of water per day for each of its staff members trapped within the territory, adding to the humanitarian challenges the region is currently facing.
