Israel Strikes Largest Hospital in Southern Gaza, Killing Key Hamas Official and Injuring Several

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Posted by NewAdmin on 2025-03-24 08:48:52 |

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Israel's military struck Nasser Hospital, the largest medical facility in southern Gaza, on Sunday night, resulting in the deaths of two people, injuries to several others, and a large fire. The strike targeted the surgical wing of the hospital in Khan Younis, just days after the facility had been overwhelmed with casualties from Israel’s renewed military offensive. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, among the dead was a 16-year-old boy who had recently undergone surgery and Ismail Barhoum, a Hamas political bureau member receiving medical treatment. Hamas confirmed Barhoum's death in a statement. 

Israel’s military acknowledged the strike, stating that it targeted a Hamas militant operating from within the hospital compound. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) argued that Hamas was using medical facilities for military purposes, violating international law. The IDF claimed the attack was precise, aimed at eliminating a key Hamas figure. The ongoing war has already severely damaged medical facilities throughout Gaza, with Nasser Hospital experiencing previous raids and strikes. The Health Ministry reported that the overall death toll from the war had exceeded 50,000, including thousands of women and children.

In addition to the strike on Nasser Hospital, Israel also targeted Salah Bardawil, a senior Hamas political bureau member, in a separate attack in Muwasi, killing him and his wife. Hospitals in southern Gaza reported receiving 24 more bodies from overnight strikes, including women and children. The Israeli military claimed it had eliminated dozens of militants since it resumed its offensive last Tuesday following the collapse of a ceasefire. The resumption of hostilities resulted in hundreds of deaths in a single day, making it one of the deadliest days of the war.

Political tensions are also growing in Israel, with increasing frustration directed at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. On Sunday, Netanyahu’s government voted to express no confidence in the attorney general, a move seen as an attempt to undermine a key check on the coalition’s power. Protests erupted outside Netanyahu’s office, with demonstrators calling for a change in leadership. Police arrested three individuals during the protests.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to worsen. Israel ordered thousands of Palestinians to evacuate the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood in Rafah, forcing displaced families to seek shelter in overcrowded tent camps in Muwasi. Many have fled multiple times as the war has displaced over two million residents. Civilians described the situation as unbearable, with tank and drone fire heard as they attempted to leave. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported losing contact with a 10-member emergency response team that had been dispatched to Rafah. Some members were later confirmed to be wounded.

In Gaza City, an explosion struck near an evacuation camp, adding to the chaos. A woman described how her blind husband ran barefoot in fear as she and her children attempted to escape. As the death toll rises, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that among the 50,021 killed, 15,613 were children, with 872 under the age of one. While the ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants, it stated that women and children account for more than half of the casualties. Israel, on the other hand, claims that around 20,000 of the dead were Hamas fighters, though it has not provided evidence to support this figure.

The renewed conflict follows the breakdown of a ceasefire that had been in place since January. The ceasefire had temporarily halted more than a year of hostilities sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which killed approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and resulted in 251 hostages being taken. During the ceasefire, Israel and Hamas exchanged hostages and prisoners, and humanitarian aid increased until Israel cut off supplies earlier this month to pressure Hamas into modifying the agreement. The planned second phase of the ceasefire negotiations, which was meant to include discussions on the release of remaining hostages, a long-term truce, and Israel’s withdrawal, never materialized. As a result, the war has resumed with devastating consequences for both sides.

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