Hospitals cut off as Israel batters southern Gaza | Israel War on Gaza News

With bombing from all sides and in areas together with hospitals and universities, there isn’t any protected hall for individuals to flee.

Israeli shells have battered Khan Younis, slicing off two hospitals as town in southern Gaza noticed the bloodiest preventing for the reason that New Yr.

Tanks closed in on Al-Amal Hospital and Al-Khair Hospital on Monday, a part of an Israeli offensive that started final week to take management of Khan Younis, with Israel saying town is now the principle headquarters of the Palestinian group Hamas.

The bombardment marks a revitalised Israeli offensive within the battle, which started on October 7 when Hamas attacked Israel, killing some 1,139 individuals. Israel’s retaliation has killed 25,295 Palestinians since.

Residents instructed AFP that it was probably the most intense bombing they’d witnessed for the reason that battle started.

The preventing across the hospitals has made the availability of medical care troublesome and halted most ambulance companies, slicing the wounded off from medical care.

Assault drones have focused hospitals and Al-Aqsa College, the enclave’s largest, as the world is bombed by land, air and sea, with no protected hall for individuals to flee, mentioned Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Rafah in southern Gaza. Israeli floor troops have been additionally assaulting residential buildings, he added.

Town, below heavy bombardment for over a month, was as soon as designated a “protected zone” by Israel, with 1000’s having fled there from the north.

“Now it’s only a scene of devastation and struggling as Israeli forces push deeper into town,” Mahmoud mentioned.

No refuge

The Palestine Crimson Crescent Society (PRCS) reported that its ambulance centre had been attacked, stopping first responders from reaching the wounded.

The rescue company additionally mentioned it had misplaced contact with its workers at its Khan Younis major base.

🚨Pressing: PRCS ambulances unable to succeed in the wounded in Khan Yunis. Israeli occupation forces are besieging the PRCS ambulance middle, and concentrating on anybody making an attempt to maneuver within the space.#Gaza #NotATarget ❌#IHL pic.twitter.com/NXOT2Zzvlv

— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) January 22, 2024

Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, identical to all of the hospitals in southern Gaza, can also be below intense assault, PRCS spokesperson Nebal Farsakh instructed Al Jazeera, with ambulances unable to answer calls.

Well being officers mentioned at the very least 20 useless our bodies had arrived in a single day when the hospital was nonetheless accessible.

“The occupation has in a single day launched an unprecedented floor and air battle on Khan Younis. Persons are trapped close to Mawasi, individuals are trapped in Al-Amal Hospital, in Al-Aqsa College. Persons are carrying the useless and wounded on donkey carts,” mentioned a medic inside Nasser Hospital.

Gaza Ministry of Well being spokesperson Ashraf Al-Qudra mentioned that dozens of useless and wounded have been trapped in areas focused by Israeli troops.

“The Israeli occupation is stopping ambulance automobiles from shifting to get better our bodies of martyrs and the wounded from western Khan Younis,” he mentioned.

Darkish days

It appears there’s little likelihood that the preventing will ease within the close to future.

Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant mentioned on Monday that army operations won’t solely proceed, however can be expanded.

The vast majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents are actually caged in two cities, Deir el-Balah and Rafah, simply north and south of Khan Younis respectively.

Round 85 % of the territory’s inhabitants has been displaced, with 1000’s sheltering in United Nations-run camps in squalid situations, with illness and starvation rife.

“Very darkish days forward because the state of affairs will get worse by the hour,” mentioned Mahmoud.