Israeli strike damages Gaza hospital

Early Sunday, an Israeli airstrike hit the Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City, also known as the Baptist or Ahli Arab hospital, causing significant damage to parts of the medical facility. Gaza’s civil defense agency reported that the strike occurred just minutes after the Israeli military issued an evacuation order for the building, which housed patients and medical staff. While no casualties were reported, the attack destroyed the hospital’s surgical wing and oxygen generation system used for intensive care units.

The Israeli military stated that it is reviewing the incident. Hospitals are protected under international humanitarian law, and repeated strikes on such facilities in Gaza since the conflict began have drawn international scrutiny. Israel maintains that Hamas operates command infrastructure, including tunnels, beneath hospitals—an allegation the Palestinian group denies.

Wider Impact on Gaza’s Healthcare Infrastructure

Al-Ahli hospital had previously sustained severe damage in October 2023 after an explosion in its parking area killed dozens. At the time, militant factions accused Israel of the attack, but Israel, supported by the United States, attributed it to a misfired rocket launched by Islamic Jihad.

Hamas authorities claim Israel has intentionally targeted multiple hospitals in Gaza since the war’s onset, rendering many either severely damaged or completely inoperable. According to the World Health Organization, only 22 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals remained partially functional as of late March.

The ongoing conflict was reignited after Hamas launched a major attack on Israel in October 2023, which resulted in 1,218 deaths, predominantly civilians, according to Israeli figures. Following the collapse of a ceasefire on March 18, at least 1,563 Palestinians have been reported killed, bringing Gaza’s total death toll to 50,933, according to the territory’s health ministry.