The Palestinian Red Crescent accused Israel on Friday of firing at a hospital in Khan Younis, putting the few remaining healthcare facilities in jeopardy amid a major advance in the southern Gaza Strip. Displaced individuals were reportedly injured due to intense gunfire from Israeli drones targeting Al-Amal Hospital and the Red Crescent’s base. The military stated that it was checking the report.
In the same city, Israeli tanks were approaching Nasser, Gaza’s largest functioning hospital, with reports of shellfire from the west and fierce gun battles to the south. Israel initiated a significant advance in Khan Younis this week, aiming to capture the city, which it claims is now the primary base for Hamas fighters responsible for the October 7 attacks on Israeli towns, leading to a devastating war in the Gaza Strip.
The Gaza health ministry reported 142 Palestinians killed and 278 injured in the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll from over three months of war to 24,762.
According to the World Health Organization, the majority of Gaza’s 36 hospitals have ceased operations, with only 15 partially functioning. These operational facilities are operating well beyond their capacity and face challenges such as inadequate fuel and medical supplies. Israeli officials have accused Hamas fighters of using hospitals, including Nasser, a claim denied by hospital staff.
More than 1.7 million people, approximately 75% of Gaza’s population, are estimated to be displaced, often forced to relocate multiple times, as per UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) figures. Many have sought refuge in tents, which offer limited protection from the elements and disease.
Among those affected, Mohammed al-Ghandour, despite facing adversity, managed to marry his bride in a tent city in Rafah near the Egyptian border, where they now reside. Al-Ghandour expressed a subdued level of happiness, stating, “My happiness is maybe at 3%, but I will get myself ready for my wife. I want to make her happy.”
