The Health Ministry in Gaza has confirmed that the Indonesian Hospital, the last working public hospital in northern Gaza, has had to close. Israeli airstrikes and a siege of the facility forced its shutdown.
The Indonesian Hospital was the only functioning healthcare provider in the area, which has been heavily impacted by ongoing military action. The Israeli military has not yet commented on the situation around the hospital.
Earlier, the Kamal Adwan Hospital and Beit Hanoun Hospital also stopped operating due to damage from Israeli airstrikes.
Israeli strikes cause more casualties
Overnight into Sunday, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 103 people across Gaza, according to local hospitals and medical teams. The conflict, now ongoing for over 19 months, shows no sign of stopping.
In Khan Younis, southern Gaza, over 48 people died in airstrikes, which hit homes and tents sheltering displaced people. Among the dead were 18 children and 13 women, according to Nasser Hospital.
In northern Gaza, an airstrike on a home in the Jabaliya refugee camp killed nine members of one family, according to Gaza’s emergency services. Another strike killed 10 people, including seven children and a woman.
The Israeli military has not commented on the strikes. Israel blames civilian casualties on Hamas, claiming the militant group operates in civilian areas.
Israel steps up its offensive
Israel has launched a new offensive in Gaza called “Gideon’s Chariots.” The operation aims to capture more territory, displace hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to Gaza’s south, and take greater control of aid distribution.
Israel says the operation will pressure Hamas into agreeing to a temporary ceasefire that would release Israeli hostages. However, Israel’s goal is not necessarily to end the war. Hamas insists on a full Israeli withdrawal and a clear path to end the conflict.
Despite ongoing talks in Doha, Qatar, there has been no breakthrough. Israel halted imports to Gaza, including food, medicine, and fuel, worsening the humanitarian crisis and risking famine in the region.
The Human Cost of the Conflict
The war began on 7 October 2023 when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and abducting 251. Since then, Israel’s military actions have killed more than 53,000 Palestinians, many of them women and children. Gaza’s Health Ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its reports.
In northern Gaza, airstrikes killed at least 43 people, including 15 children and 12 women. In Jabaliya, 10 people died, including seven children and a woman. Among the victims were two parents with their three children and a father with his four children.
In central Gaza, three separate strikes killed at least 12 people. One strike in Zweida town killed seven people, including two children and four women. Another attack in Deir al-Balah killed two parents and their child. In Nuseirat camp, a strike killed two people.
The team at Nasser Hospital has struggled to count the bodies due to the condition of the remains.
Houthi rebels target Israel
As the war in Gaza continues, tensions have also risen between Israel and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. On Sunday, the Israeli military intercepted a missile launched at Israel. The missile triggered air raid sirens in several parts of the country.
The Houthis claimed responsibility for firing two ballistic missiles, including a hypersonic missile, at Israel’s main airport near Tel Aviv. Earlier this month, a Houthi missile struck the same airport.
The Houthi military spokesman, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, said the operation had achieved its goal, causing widespread panic in Israel.
In response, Israel has carried out airstrikes on Yemen, marking the eighth such attack since the Gaza conflict began.
