Israeli Snipers Kill Civilians Fleeing Gaza Hospital, Surgeon Reports

In southern Gaza, medical professionals at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis reported incidents of Israeli snipers fatally shooting individuals attempting to exit the hospital, marking a severe escalation in the Israeli military’s operations in the area. This hospital, standing as the largest operational medical facility in Gaza amidst the conflict, has faced intense military actions for weeks.

A trauma surgeon witnessed the death of at least two individuals due to sniper fire on Tuesday, with additional casualties reported. Despite the Israeli military’s claim of establishing a “secure route” for civilians to evacuate, at least eight people were targeted by gunfire while trying to flee on Tuesday, including a 16-year-old boy who was shot at the hospital gate.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed their operational presence in the vicinity of the Nasser Medical Complex but did not directly address allegations regarding sniper activities. Israel maintains that its military operations do not deliberately target civilians.

Footage showed the hospital’s evacuation under the menacing drone of Israeli drones, with reports of the hospital’s warehouse being bombed, leading to the destruction of medical supplies.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza highlighted that Israeli sniper fire had resulted in civilian deaths on both Tuesday and Monday. The situation within the hospital is dire, with more than 1,500 displaced individuals, including patients and medical staff, still inside. The Israeli military’s southward expansion of its ground offensive has turned Khan Younis, once deemed a safer zone, into a focal point of conflict, challenging the city’s status with widespread destruction and direct military engagements aimed at Hamas infrastructures.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and other medical professionals describe the conditions as catastrophic, with the hospital besieged and running low on essential supplies, facing imminent shutdowns of electrical generators due to continuous bombardment. The dilemma faced by those in the hospital is stark: stay and potentially become a target, or venture into the war-torn landscape of Gaza, where safety is nonexistent.