Tensions Escalate as Israeli Strike Destroys Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza

The Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, in Gaza City, suffered significant destruction due to an Israeli strike, sparking outrage from Hamas, which labeled the action a "horrific crime." Evacuations were urgently ordered, yet casualties have not been reported, as the conflict between Israel and Hamas intensifies.

An Israeli strike has reportedly caused extensive damage to the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City, with Hamas alleging the destruction of its intensive care and surgery departments. Footage shared on social media displayed large flames and plumes of smoke rising from the two-storey building, prompting panic as hospital staff and patients, some still in beds, scrambled to evacuate.

According to local journalists on the scene, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) contacted a doctor at the facility, issuing a warning to evacuate immediately. The officer allegedly stated, "All patients and displaced people must go out to a safe distance," giving them only 20 minutes to comply. Videos captured during the incident showed both medical personnel and civilians exiting the hospital premises while darkness still prevailed outside.

Al-Ahli Hospital, which was a smaller medical center before the onset of conflict, now serves as the sole operational hospital in Gaza City following assaults on the Al-Shifa medical complex and other facilities in northern Gaza. The Hamas-led government expressed outrage over the incident, characterizing it as a "horrific crime" against patients and medical staff.

This latest strike comes in the wake of intense conflict, where a prior attack on the same hospital in October 2023 resulted in substantial casualties. Palestinian authorities attributed that incident to an Israeli airstrike, while Israel contended it was a consequence of a failed rocket launch by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, a claim the group has denied.

The current Israeli military operations seek to dismantle Hamas following an unprecedented cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 Israelis and the kidnapping of 251 individuals. Since the initiation of this unprecedented military campaign, the Hamas-run health ministry reports over 50,933 fatalities in Gaza, including at least 1,563 following the escalation of hostilities on March 18, 2023. The Israeli government has indicated plans to broaden its military efforts throughout much of Gaza, while discussions about a potential ceasefire remain uncertain.