Israeli forces have surrounded two more hospitals in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said, describing intense shelling and heavy gunfire.
Months after the conflict began, fighting still continues in Gaza, despite international pressure on Israel and ongoing efforts for a ceasefire and hostage agreement.
The PRCS said on Sunday that Al-Amal Hospital and Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza were surrounded.
“All of our teams are in extreme danger right now and are unable to move. They also cannot bury the body of our colleague Amir Abu Aisha in the hospital courtyard.”
A CNN contacted hospital authorities for more details and the Israel Defense Forces for a response.
Both hospitals were surrounded by Israeli forces for prolonged periods earlier this year.
The Israeli military continues to operate in Al-Shifa hospital, the largest in Gaza, after attacking it earlier this week.
Israel Defense Force (IDF) troops “have apprehended approximately 480 terrorists affiliated with the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist organizations and located weapons and terrorist infrastructure in the hospital,” the IDF said in an update on Sunday.
The IDF also announced that a soldier was killed in a battle in northern Gaza, bringing the death toll among soldiers since the start of the ground operation to 252.
At least 32,226 people have died in Gaza since the October 7 attacks, with nearly 75,000 injured, the Gaza Health Ministry said.
In January, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced that the most intense phase of operations in northern Gaza had concluded, but in recent weeks the IDF has returned in force to the area around Al-Shifa as Hamas appears to have increased its presence and operations in the area.
On Monday, the IDF launched a new operation in Al Shifa after claiming that “senior Hamas terrorists” were using the facility.
Gaza's Health Ministry said around 3,000 people were seeking refuge and that those trying to leave were targeted by snipers and helicopter gunships.
Hamas accused Israel of striking targets “without regard” to the patients or medical staff inside — a claim echoed by people at the compound.
Hospitals have been battlegrounds throughout the conflict. Israel has accused Gaza's medical facilities of housing Hamas fighters and weapons, something doctors and the militant group have denied.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that “horror and hunger” pursued Gaza, calling for a ceasefire and the immediate release of the hostages.
Guterres, who visited the Egyptian border on Saturday, also classified the aid trucks arriving there as “a moral outrage”, urging Israel to allow “full and unrestricted access to humanitarian goods throughout Gaza”.
His remarks provoked Israel's ire, with Foreign Minister Israel Katz saying the UN had become “an anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli body that protects and encourages terror” under Guterres' leadership.
Katz, in a statement on the Israeli hostages.” .”
Relations between Israel and the UN are weak. The UN has been a strong critic of Israel's campaign in Gaza, while Israel has accused some UN officials of involvement in the October 7 attacks.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
