Jerusalem, Oct 31 (EFE).- An Israeli airstrike on Thursday hit the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, killing four people, including two children, the enclave’s health ministry said.
Image provided by the Israeli military of several Israeli soldiers during a raid in the Gaza Strip. EFE-EPA/ Israeli Military/EDITORIAL USE ONLY/ONLY AVAILABLE TO ILLUSTRATE THE ACCOMPANYING NEWS (MANDATORY CREDIT)
The airstrike, which targeted the hospital’s medical supplies storage area, also injured four hospital workers, the official Palestinian Wafa news agency reported.
“The attack struck the third floor of the hospital, where medicines and medical supplies were stored, causing extensive damage,” the ministry said in a statement.
According to Wafa, the hospital had received medical supplies five days earlier from the World Health Organization (WHO) to help mitigate a severe shortage of medications in local health clinics, which have been under an Israeli military siege for nearly a month.
Kamal Adwan Hospital’s director Hussam Abu Safiya said that all surgical operations at the hospital had been suspended due to the airstrike.
The ongoing Israeli offensive in northern Gaza has also severely impacted Gaza Civil Defense emergency services over the past eight days.
“Thousands of citizens are left without medical and humanitarian assistance,” the emergency service said.
Local media reported that Israeli artillery struck civilian homes in other parts of Beit Lahia, resulting in an unspecified number of civilian casualties.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have been conducting an intense ground offensive in northern Gaza for nearly a month, focusing on the cities of Beit Lahia, Jabalia, and Beit Hanoun.
The offensive, which includes airstrikes, has resulted in more than 1,000 deaths so far.
Since the conflict began on Oct. 7 last year, at least 43,100 Gazans have been killed, and over 101,500 injured, with around 69 percent of those killed being women and children, according to the health ministry of the enclave, ruled by Islamist group Hamas.
Additionally, an estimated 10,000 people are still missing and presumed dead under the rubble of buildings destroyed by the Israeli strikes. EFE
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