Hamas says IDF storming one Khan Younis hospital, surrounding another; no comment from IDF

Israeli forces advance into western Khan Younis, storming one hospital and placing another under siege and cutting the wounded off from trauma care, Palestinian officials say.

Troops advanced for the first time into the al-Mawasi district near the Mediterranean Coast, west of Khan Younis, the main city in southern Gaza. There, they stormed the Al-Khair hospital and were arresting medical staff, Gaza health ministry spokesman Ashraf al Qidra tells Reuters.

There was no immediate word from Israel on the situation at the hospital. The military spokesperson’s office had no comment. Israel says its operations in Gaza are targeting Hamas, the terror group that rules the Strip, and not civilians, although Hamas is known for hiding its attack infrastructure in hospitals and other civilian locations.

The Palestinian Red Crescent says tanks had also surrounded another Khan Younis hospital, al-Amal, headquarters of the rescue agency, which had lost contact with its staff there.

Qidra says at least 50 people were killed overnight in Khan Younis, while the sieges of medical facilities meant dozens of dead and wounded were beyond the reach of rescuers. Death tolls from Qidra’s health ministry don’t differentiate between civilians and combatants and include in their figures those killed by errant Palestinian rocket fire.

“Hamas embeds its operation within and under hospitals and other medical facilities,” says Elad Goren of COGAT, the Israeli Defense Ministry branch that coordinates with the Palestinians. “A particular effort led by a dedicated team has been put on making sure that civilians have access to medical care.”