An Israeli airstrike on Sunday destroyed large sections of the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City, the last remaining operational medical facility in the area. The attack has drawn widespread condemnation and reignited concerns over the targeting of healthcare centers in conflict zones.
Eyewitnesses reported that the hospital’s intensive care and surgical departments were completely wiped out, forcing medical staff to evacuate patients, many of whom were still lying in their beds. Dramatic footage shared online showed flames engulfing the building as people fled into the night.
Also Read: Indonesia to Offer Shelter to 1,000 Palestinians from Gaza
The Israel Defense Forces stated that the strike was aimed at a Hamas command center allegedly operating from within the hospital compound. Officials claimed they issued prior warnings and used precision-guided munitions to minimize civilian harm.
No immediate casualties were reported, but chaos ensued as civilians who had been sheltering in the hospital courtyard scrambled for safety. The hospital, already damaged in a deadly October 2023 explosion, has now been rendered non-operational, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
The strike comes amid ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza, which have so far resulted in over 50,000 deaths, according to Palestinian authorities. Calls are growing for stronger international protections for medical facilities in war zones.
