Israeli army demands evacuation of Al-Quds hospital in Gaza by 1300GMT

JERUSALEM (AA) – The Israeli army gave the Palestinian Red Crescent until 4 p.m. local time (1300GMT) Saturday to evacuate the Al-Quds hospital in the blockaded Gaza Strip, said the association.

In a statement, the Palestinian Red Crescent said that the Israeli army first warned that the Al-Quds hospital in Gaza city should be evacuated by 6 a.m. (0300GMT) Saturday morning.

The Israeli army later sent a new message to the Palestinian Red Crescent, giving a deadline until 4 p.m. local time to evacuate the hospital.

The Palestinian Red Crescent emphasized that “many critical conditions were treated in the intensive care unit at the hospital.”

“There are babies in incubators, and hundreds of civilians took shelter in the region,” it added.

“Evacuation is not possible,” the association said.

It also pointed out that “tens of thousands of Palestinians refuse to leave their homes in the north of Gaza due to Israeli attacks.”

The Palestinian Red Crescent called on world leaders, the international community and the UN to stop Israel's decision to evacuate the hospital and to intervene to ensure the security of the institution.

In a dramatic escalation of Middle East tensions, Israeli forces launched a sustained and forceful military campaign against the Gaza Strip, a response to a military offensive by the Palestinian group Hamas in Israeli territories.

The conflict began last Saturday when Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel, a multi-pronged surprise attack including a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel via land, sea, and air.

Hamas said the operation was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers’ growing violence against Palestinians.

The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets within the Gaza Strip.

Israel's response has extended into cutting water and electricity supplies to Gaza, further worsening the living conditions in an area that has reeled under a crippling siege since 2007.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi