The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched an airstrike on a hospital in Gaza City early Sunday. They claimed the site was being used by Hamas as a command centre. Before the strike, Israel instructed staff and patients to evacuate.
Strikes in Gaza city and Deir al-Balah
The IDF and Israel’s Shin Bet security agency said the al-Ahli Baptist Hospital contained a Hamas operational hub. No injuries were reported. Israel had issued a warning to clear the area before the strike.
Later on Sunday, Israeli forces targeted another Hamas site in Deir al-Balah. According to the IDF, several Hamas operatives were at the location during the strike. Local media reported that the missile hit the city’s municipal building, killing three people.
Israel stated that both locations had been used to plan and coordinate attacks. The military said it used precision weapons and aerial surveillance to reduce civilian risk.
Hamas accused of using hospital facilities for military purposes
Israeli officials accused Hamas of operating from civilian sites, including hospitals. Medics at al-Ahli reported two missiles hit overnight. The emergency and reception departments were destroyed, and other areas damaged.
One staff member said he received a phone call from someone claiming to represent Israeli security. The caller told them to evacuate before the strike. The Baptist Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, which runs the hospital, said the IDF gave a 20-minute warning.
Casualties and damage across the strip
Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said the hospital is no longer functional. Hundreds of patients had to leave the site, many now without access to treatment. The Church reported damage to the hospital’s genetic lab, pharmacy, and other departments. Nearby buildings, including a church, were also affected.
The Church called on governments and humanitarian groups to help stop attacks on medical facilities. It stated this was the fifth time the hospital had been hit since the war began in October 2023.
Elsewhere in Gaza, Palestinian media reported 18 more deaths on Sunday. Ten were in the south, including a senior Hamas police official. Reports also mentioned seven killed in Deir al-Balah and one woman in Jabalia. The IDF has not commented on these claims.
Israel recently announced it had taken control of the Morag Corridor. This move cuts Rafah off from Khan Younis in the south.
Gaza’s health ministry said more than 50,000 people have died or are missing since the war began. This figure has not been independently verified and does not separate civilians from fighters. Israel says it has killed around 20,000 Hamas fighters in Gaza, plus 1,600 militants inside Israel during the October 7th attacks.
