The Palestinian Health Ministry has reported that a hospital bombing in Gaza City has resulted in the tragic loss of at least 500 lives, making it one of the deadliest incidents in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
A spokesperson for the ministry issued a statement, initially estimating the death toll to be between 200 and 300 martyrs in the attack on Baptist Hospital in Gaza City.
Subsequently, the ministry revised its figures to confirm the deaths of at least 500 individuals, a somber update reported by both AP and Reuters.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the hospital bombing.
Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, the Israeli military spokesperson, acknowledged the gravity of the situation but noted that there were no immediate details available regarding the hospital deaths. He stated, “We will gather the necessary information and provide updates to the public. At this time, I cannot confirm whether it was an Israeli airstrike.”
In response to the hospital blast, Hamas issued a statement condemning it as a “crime of genocide.”
The militant group’s statement declared, “The horrifying massacre perpetrated by the Zionist occupation at Gaza City’s Al-Ahly Hospital, resulting in hundreds of casualties, including displaced families, patients, children, and women, constitutes an act of genocide that once again exposes the ruthless nature of this hostile adversary and its authoritarian and terrorist government.”
If confirmed, this attack would be the deadliest Israeli airstrike in the context of the five wars fought in Gaza since 2008.
The hospital bombing follows prior reports of casualties and injuries at the al Ahli Arab Baptist Hospital, located in northern Gaza. On October 14, this Anglican-run hospital was struck by Israeli rocket fire, leading to injuries sustained by four staff members, as reported in a statement from Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.
The archbishop expressed concern about the safety of critically ill and injured patients at this hospital and at other healthcare facilities in northern Gaza, emphasizing that their secure evacuation is currently not feasible.
“I appeal for the revocation of evacuation orders for hospitals in northern Gaza, and for the protection of health facilities, healthcare workers, patients, and civilians,” the archbishop’s statement added.
Israel’s military had previously asserted that further civilian casualties in the region were “inevitable,” citing Hamas fighters’ use of Palestinian civilians as cover. Over one million Palestinians were urged by the IDF to relocate southward through Gaza over the weekend, in anticipation of a potential ground invasion.
