Israeli missiles strike Gaza hospital, patients evacuated

CAIRO: Two Israeli missiles hit a major Gaza hospital on Sunday, knocking out the emergency department and damaging other structures, medics said, in a strike which Israel said was aimed at Hamas fighters exploiting the facility.

Health officials at the Al-Ahli Arab Baptist Hospital evacuated patients after a phone call from someone who identified himself as Israeli security shortly before the attack.

No casualties were reported in the strike. The Israeli military said in a statement it had taken steps to reduce harm to civilians before it struck the compound, which was being used by Hamas to plan attacks. Hamas rejected the accusation as “lies” and called for an international investigation.

The hospital - an institution of the Anglican Church - was knocked out of operation, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

“Hundreds of patients and injured people had to be evacuated in the middle of the night, and many of them are now out in the streets without medical care, which puts their lives at risk,” said ministry spokesperson Khalil Al-Deqran.

Sunday’s strikes came as Hamas leaders began a fresh round of talks in Cairo in a bid to salvage a stalled ceasefire agreement with Israel, with Egypt, Qatar, and the United States attempting to bridge gaps between the sides.

Images on social media, which Reuters could not immediately verify, showed dozens of people leaving the hospital, with some assisting patients in their beds.

Reuters footage showed significant destruction in and outside the hospital compound’s church, and patients who couldn’t leave.

WARNING

“The scene was scary. From last night until now, I haven’t slept a single minute out of fear. All night, glass was shattering over us inside,” said an injured man, Mohammed Abu Nasser.

The Baptist Church in Jerusalem said the warning to evacuate the hospital came 20 minutes before the strike that destroyed the two-storey Genetic Laboratory, and damaged the Pharmacy and Emergency Department buildings and other surrounding structures.