Israeli Military Operations in Northern Gaza
The Israeli military has surrounded two of the last operational hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip. Staff and aid organizations have noted that the World Health Organization (WHO) is sounding alarms, indicating that current actions are “stretching the health system beyond the point of division.”
An Israeli Army spokesperson mentioned on Wednesday, “We have entered a new phase, with increased strength, aiming to achieve the war’s objective of retrieving kidnapped soldiers and defeating Hamas.”
Troops from the 401st Brigade and Gibati Brigade, under the 162nd Division, have commenced activities in northern Gaza. They are reportedly identifying and dismantling buildings believed to be associated with Hamas.
Indonesian hospitals and Al Auda Hospital remain among the few medical centers still functioning in the area, according to reports.
Israeli Actions Amidst Trade Talks
In a related context, Israeli authorities issued evacuation orders for much of northern Gaza as military operations commence to pressure Hamas for more hostage releases. Interestingly, while no evacuation order has specifically been given for the hospitals themselves, several medical facilities, including another hospital and three primary health care centers, fall within the evacuation area. Additionally, some hospitals and primary care centers are situated quite close to this zone, as noted by WHO Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Ghebreyesus emphasized that these military operations and evacuation orders are indeed “stretching the health system beyond the point of division.”
Reports indicate an Israeli drone has been surveilling Indonesian hospitals since Sunday. An aid organization supporting the hospitals shared this with the media.
Israeli forces claim they are operating near the hospitals to target Hamas infrastructure but are not positioned within the hospital premises, and ambulances have been permitted to operate. However, troubling reports have surfaced about Israeli bulldozers demolishing the hospital’s boundary walls. Moreover, airstrikes have damaged generators at the hospital, further complicating an already dire situation.
Ongoing Humanitarian Concerns
According to WHO, at least one hospital staff member has been killed, and those who remain inside are in urgent need of water and food. The United Nations is reportedly working to transfer the remaining patients to other facilities.
One hospital board member revealed that an Israeli drone fired into the courtyard of Al Auda Hospital to obstruct patient transfers. Furthermore, on Tuesday, the drone targeted ambulances, hampering efforts to transport patients even while they tried to return to the hospital.
“Anyone moving towards the hospital is fired upon,” lamented one hospital spokesperson, highlighting the chaos surrounding medical efforts.
Currently, around 47 patients remain in the facility, including approximately 20 children and several pregnant women. The number of doctors and medical staff is quite significant, with a dedicated team striving to provide care.
Despite the ongoing military operations, Israel has started allowing some supplies of food and medicines to trickle into Gaza, easing a blockade that had significantly restricted imports for over two months.
However, reports detail that dozens of aid trucks have arrived since Monday, yet distribution has stalled due to delays linked to Israeli military protocols.
