Israeli forces have surrounded a hospital in northern Gaza amid an ongoing offensive aimed at capturing territory within the Strip, according to reports from the Hamas-run health ministry.
According to a statement from the ministry on Sunday, the Indonesian hospital in Beit Lahia faced “heavy fire,” which hindered the arrival of patients, medical personnel, and essential supplies.
On Saturday, Israel’s military declared the initiation of “Operation Gideon’s Chariot,” coinciding with a significant escalation in the intensity of strikes in Gaza, marking the deadliest period in recent months.
On Saturday, Hamas proposed the release of nine hostages in return for a 60-day ceasefire, according to a Palestinian official who spoke to the BBC following recent negotiations in Qatar.
The health ministry reported that three public hospitals in the North Gaza governorate are currently “out of action.”
According to authorities in Gaza, at least 300 individuals have lost their lives since Thursday, with fatalities reported in hospitals and refugee camps located in both the northern and southern regions of the Strip.
On Saturday, airstrikes targeted various locations in northern Gaza, including Beit Lahia and the Jabalia refugee camp, as well as the southern city of Khan Younis, according to reports from the Hamas-run health ministry and civil defence forces.
Since Israel resumed strikes on March 18, following the breakdown of a tenuous two-month ceasefire, thousands have lost their lives.
Israel’s military has announced that the expansion of its campaign is focused on “achieving all the war’s objectives,” which include the release of hostages and “the defeat of Hamas.”
Aid agencies report a deterioration in Gaza’s humanitarian situation, attributing this decline to Israel’s ongoing blockade of food and other essential supplies for the past 10 weeks.
Earlier this month, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a significant commitment to escalate military operations in the ongoing conflict, aiming to occupy and control large areas of Gaza, compel the Palestinian population to relocate southward, and eliminate Hamas.
On May 5, Netanyahu announced that Israel was gearing up for an “intense entry into Gaza” aimed at capturing and holding territory. However, he specified that this operation would not begin until Trump concluded his tour of the Middle East. On Friday, he departed from the region.
The conflict erupted following the Hamas-led assaults on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities and over 250 individuals taken hostage.
A total of 58 hostages are currently held in Gaza, with reports suggesting that as many as 23 of them may still be alive.
Over 53,000 Palestinians have lost their lives amid Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
