Israel Strikes Gaza’s Largest Southern Hospital Killing 2, Confirmed Gaza Health Ministry

Israel’s military struck Nasser Hospital, the biggest medical center in southern Gaza, on Sunday evening, killing a minimum of two and wounding numerous others, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The strike ignited a huge fire in the surgical building of the hospital, compounding the damage wrought by the war.

Hospital Under Fire

One of the victims was a 16-year-old boy who had just received surgery two days earlier. Ismail Barhoum, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, was also killed in the attack, according to a Hamas statement. The military later confirmed the attack, saying it struck a Hamas militant who was active within the hospital. 

The attack on Nasser Hospital was only days after the hospital was flooded with casualties when Israel picked up its military campaign after a ceasefire collapsed. Medical facilities throughout the region have also suffered heavy destruction, with patients and doctors fighting for their lives amidst continuous airstrikes.

Escalating Casualties and Forced Displacements

The war has now taken the lives of more than 50,000 Palestinians, the Gaza Health Ministry reported. Since Israel’s renewed attacks last Tuesday, an additional 673 have been killed. The ministry reported that at least 15,613 children are among the fatalities, of which 872 were infants younger than one year old.

The Gaza humanitarian crisis deepens, with thousands of Palestinians displaced yet again. The Israeli army issued evacuation orders from the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood in Rafah, leaving families to escape under gunfire. Families fled to the overpopulated Muwasi area, where flimsy tent camps offer little protection from the conflict.

“It’s displacement under fire,” reported journalist Mustafa Gaber, who fled with his family during tank and drone fire. “The shells are falling around us, and the bullets are whizzing over us,” reported another displaced resident, Amal Nassar.

Hamas Leader Killed

Along with the hospital strike, a further Israeli air raid in Muwasi killed a top Hamas commander, Salah Bardawil, and his wife. The Israeli military confirmed that they had struck the area, which heightened tensions even further.

Southern Gaza hospitals continue to get a constant stream of casualties. Overnight, airstrikes killed at least 24 individuals, including some women and children. The Palestinian Red Crescent lost contact with a group of 10 emergency workers who were caught in the raids in Rafah, with some believed dead.

The war has also ignited political unrest in Israel. There were demonstrations on Sunday against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as demonstrators faulted his management of the war and hostage crisis. The government of Israel also approved a contentious measure with no confidence in the attorney general, a step critics described as tending to dismantle democratic checks and balances.

“I’m concerned for the future of this country. And I believe it has to stop. We have to change direction,” stated Avital Halperin, one of the demonstrators outside Netanyahu’s office. Three demonstrators were arrested by police. Ceasefire in Tatters

Israel-Hamas ceasefire in January collapsed last week. Early on, the truce saw the release of hostages and the cessation of the conflict temporarily. The negotiations of the subsequent stage of the accord, however, broke down and resulted in resumed fatal airstrikes.

Israel also intensified its crackdown in the occupied West Bank, approving the establishment of 13 new settlements. The decision, led by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, is expected to inflame tensions further, as most of the international community considers these settlements illegal.

With continued escalation of violence, Gaza’s civilian population finds itself stuck in a humanitarian crisis. With hospitals being targeted, tens of thousands of people displaced, and no ceasefire in view, the plight of innocent civilians only worsens. The world is increasingly being called upon to intervene and seek an end to the carnage.

The war, starting on October 7, 2023, following Hamas’ attack on Israel, is currently in its 17th month. The deaths on both sides are still on the rise with no sign of peace on the horizon.

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