The World Health Organisation has reported that an Israeli assault has rendered inoperable the Nasser hospital in Gaza.
On Thursday, Israel Defence Force (IDF) commandos stormed the complex, claiming intelligence suggested Hamas had taken hostages there.
The WHO stated that access to the site for the purpose of assessing the situation had been denied.
The operation conducted by the IDF in Nasser was characterised as “precise and limited,” and Hamas was accused of “cynically using hospitals for terror.”
The Director-General of the World Health Organisation, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated on X, formerly Twitter, that “after a week-long siege and the ongoing raid, the Nasser hospital in Gaza is no longer operational.”
He stated that the WHO team was denied access to the hospital yesterday and the day before to assess the patients’ conditions and critical medical requirements, despite having arrived at the hospital compound with partners to deliver fuel.
“Around 200 patients remain within the hospital. At least twenty patients must be referred to other hospitals immediately to receive medical care; this is the right of every patient.”
Only four medical staff remained to treat the remaining patients, according to Gaza’s Hamas-controlled health ministry.
Hospital Crisis Amidst Gaza Conflict
An unidentified source within the hospital reported that disruptions in the provision of oxygen and electricity had resulted in the fatalities of eleven patients, and that a number of physicians had been arrested.
Yesterday, the Israeli military reported that food and water had been delivered to the hospital and that its forces had been instructed to maintain operations there. An army spokeswoman said only that an inspection was underway when questioned about the hospital this morning.
For weeks, fighting has occurred around the Nasser site. Israel has asserted on multiple occasions that Hamas operates from hospitals and classrooms as bases of operations.
The Israeli IDF has seized many weapons and killed 20 Hamas fighters near the hospital.
The IDF reported dozens of militants killed and massive weapons captured the day before.
Gunmen commanded by Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October last year, resulting in the deaths of at least 1,200 individuals.
Israel commenced a military campaign in the Gaza Strip in retaliation. Over 68,000 Palestinians, primarily women and children, have been injured and over 28,400 have perished since the outbreak of hostilities, according to the health ministry, which is operated by Hamas.
According to the report, 205 Palestinians were injured and 127 died in the past 24 hours.
Despite the Gaza crisis, Cairo has been mediating a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. However, Qatari mediators have described recent progress as “not particularly encouraging.”
Stalled Peace Talks Amid Escalating Conflict
Sheikh Mohammed, speaking at a gathering of global leaders at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, stated, “The pattern over the past few days has not been particularly encouraging, but we will continue to be optimistic and vigorous, as I have always maintained.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel stated that he dispatched negotiators in response to US President Joe Biden’s request. However, they did not return for additional talks because Hamas’s demands were “irrational.”
Hamas has attributed the failure to achieve a ceasefire agreement to Israel.
The collective has delineated a sequence of stipulations, comprising the exchange of Palestinian detainees for hostages, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the cessation of hostilities following a 135-day hiatus; these conditions are divided into three distinct phases.
Mr Netanyahu has additionally reaffirmed that, notwithstanding international pressure, the Israeli government continues to advance its ground invasion of Gaza southward, encompassing the Rafah region, without initially devising a strategy to evacuate Palestinian civilians who fled that area in the initial days of the conflict.
Approximately 1.5 million individuals have migrated to Rafah, which is in close proximity to the Egyptian border. Israeli forces ordered them to flee while Hamas sites in northern and central Gaza were targeted.
Egypt-Israel Stance on Palestinian Future
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi opposed the forced migration of Palestinians into Sinai on Saturday.
According to a summary, during a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, both leaders reached a consensus. They agreed on the “urgent requirement for the progression of a ceasefire.”
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Mr Sisi has long maintained that an independent state for the Palestinians is the only viable solution.
Instead, Mr. Netanyahu said Sunday that his government had unanimously opposed “unilateral recognition” of Palestinian statehood.
He stated that such an agreement could only be achieved through direct negotiations between the Israeli and Palestinian sides.
“Israel unequivocally declines all international pressures concerning a lasting agreement with the Palestinians. Should an accord be reached, it will only be achieved through direct, non-augustine negotiations between the parties,” according to a government statement.
