IDF Claims Hamas Using Gaza Hospital as Stronghold, Launches New Operation
Israeli forces raided the Kamal Adwan Hospital on the northern edge of Gaza on Friday, setting fire to large sections of the facility and ordering hundreds of patients, medical staff, and civilians to evacuate, according to Palestinian health officials.
The Palestinian health ministry reported losing contact with staff inside the hospital, located in Beit Lahiya, shortly after the raid began. “The occupation forces are inside the hospital now and they are burning it,” said ministry director Munir Al-Bursh in a statement.
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The Israeli military claimed it had taken measures to minimize harm to civilians, stating it “facilitated the secure evacuation of civilians, patients, and medical personnel prior to the operation.” It also accused Hamas of using the hospital for military operations throughout the conflict.
Deputy health minister Youssef Abu El-Rish alleged Israeli forces had torched the surgical department, laboratory, and storage areas of the hospital. Hundreds of evacuees, including 75 patients, were transferred to nearby shelters or the Indonesian Hospital, which had also sustained significant damage in earlier Israeli strikes.
Footage circulating on Palestinian and Arab media showed smoke billowing from the hospital area, though Reuters could not independently verify the images.
The raid comes as Israel intensifies its military campaign in northern Gaza, targeting areas like Beit Hanoun and Jabalia, which have seen widespread destruction and mass evacuations. Palestinian officials claim over 45,300 people have been killed since the war began.
