DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel’s military detained the director of one of many final functioning hospitals in northern Gaza as in a single day strikes within the enclave killed 9 individuals together with youngsters, Palestinian medical officers mentioned, whereas sirens rang out throughout Israel.
Gaza’s Well being Ministry mentioned Saturday that Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, was arrested by Israeli forces. The announcement comes a day after Israeli troops stormed the hospital, forcing many workers and sufferers outdoors to strip in winter climate, in line with the ministry.
Israel’s military didn’t reply to questions on Dr. Abu Safiya. On Friday, it denied claims it had entered or set fireplace to the complicated and mentioned it was conducting operations towards Hamas infrastructure and militants within the space and had ordered individuals out of the hospital.
It repeated claims that Hamas militants function inside Kamal Adwan Hospital however offered no proof. Hospital officers have denied that.
Kamal Adwan Hospital has been hit a number of occasions over the previous three months by Israeli troops waging an offensive towards Hamas fighters in surrounding neighborhoods. The ministry mentioned a strike on the hospital earlier this week killed 5 medical personnel.
Israel’s practically 15-month-old marketing campaign of bombardment and offensives has devastated Gaza’s well being sector. The conflict has killed greater than 45,400 Palestinians, greater than half ladies and youngsters, and wounded greater than 108,000 others, in line with Gaza’s Well being Ministry. Its rely doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants.
Dr. Abu Safiya was detained Friday together with dozens of different workers from the hospital and brought to an interrogation middle, the ministry mentioned.
On Friday, MedGlobal, the humanitarian group the place Dr. Abu Safiya labored, mentioned he was a lead doctor for the group and was gravely involved about him. The group mentioned the incident follows the October detention of 5 different of its workers, calling it an “alarming and egregious sample of concentrating on medical personnel and areas.”
Since October, Israel’s offensive has nearly sealed off the northern Gaza areas of Jabaliya, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya and leveled giant elements of them. Tens of hundreds of Palestinians had been pressured out however hundreds are believed to stay within the space the place Kamal Adwan and two different hospitals are positioned.
Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas after the militants’ Oct. 7, 2023, assault on southern Israel through which they killed round 1,200 individuals and kidnapped some 250 others. Round 100 Israelis stay captive in Gaza, round a 3rd believed to be useless.
On Saturday, Israel continued assaults throughout Gaza. An in a single day strike killed no less than 9 individuals in Maghazi, together with ladies and youngsters, in line with an Related Press reporter who noticed the our bodies and workers at Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital the place they had been taken.
Israel mentioned its troops had additionally begun working within the northern metropolis of Beit Hanoun, following intelligence that fighters and Hamas infrastructure had been within the space.
Strikes additionally continued into Israel. Early Saturday morning, air raid sirens as soon as once more awoke Israelis and the army mentioned it intercepted a missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
Israeli warplanes bombed key infrastructure in Yemen once more on Thursday. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have additionally been attacking transport within the Purple Sea and say they received’t cease till Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza.
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Mednick reported from Jerusalem.
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