Nearly 50 Palestinians, including medical staff and workers, lost their lives on Thursday when an Israeli airstrike targeted a building opposite Kamal Adwan Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip, reports Al Jazeera.
Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, director of the hospital, confirmed the tragedy, stating, “There are nearly 50 martyrs, including three of our medical staff, under the rubble of a building opposite Kamal Adwan Hospital in the Beit Lahia Project area after it was bombed by Israeli warplanes.”
Among the victims were Dr. Ahmed Samour, a paediatrician; Israa, a laboratory technician; and Fares, a maintenance technician at the hospital. Dr. Abu Safia noted that many staff members and their families had been residing in the targeted building due to the ongoing conflict.
Israel has intensified its ground offensive in northern Gaza since October 5, 2023, citing the need to prevent the Palestinian group Hamas from regrouping. However, Palestinians accuse Israel of seeking to occupy the area and forcibly displace its residents.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached catastrophic levels, with no adequate supply of food, medicine, or fuel entering the region. The population is teetering on the brink of famine, compounding the suffering caused by relentless airstrikes.
Since the escalation began following a cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, Israeli airstrikes have claimed over 45,000 lives in Gaza, reducing much of the enclave to rubble.
The ongoing violence has drawn global condemnation. Last month, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Additionally, Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice.
As the world grapples with the horrors unfolding in Gaza, calls for immediate intervention and accountability continue to grow.
