The Israeli army, advancing deep into western Khan Younis on Monday, stormed one hospital and besieged another, cutting off wounded from trauma care, Palestinian officials said.
Troops first advanced into the al-Mawasi neighbourhood off the Mediterranean coast, west of Khan Younis, the main town in southern Gaza. There they entered al-Khair hospital and arrested medical staff, Gaza health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra told Reuters.
Israel had no comment on the situation at the hospital. The Palestinian Red Crescent said tanks had surrounded another Khan Younis hospital, al-Amal, the headquarters of a rescue agency that has lost contact with its staff.
At least 50 people were killed overnight in Khan Younis, according to Qidra. Dozens of dead and injured were beyond the reach of rescuers due to the siege of medical facilities. He said:
The Israeli occupation is preventing ambulance vehicles from moving to recover bodies of martyrs and the wounded from western Khan Younis.
Locals say that the bombardment from air, land and sea has been the most intense in the southern Gaza Strip since the start of the war in October, when Israeli tanks broke through Khan Younis to the Mediterranean coast.
