By Dilara Afifi
GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) - The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said Thursday that the Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis was stuck with Israeli shells for a fourth consecutive day.
“The Israeli occupation forces continue its targeting of Al-Amal Hospital for the fourth consecutive day, amidst ongoing shelling and gunfire in the hospital's vicinity,” it wrote on X. “The occupation forces also impose a complete curfew around the hospital since yesterday afternoon, restricting the movement of ambulance crews to and from the hospital.”
It noted that “thousands of displaced individuals live in constant fear and anxiety due to the ongoing siege and bombardment.”
Earlier Thursday, the International Committee of the Red Cross warned of the potential loss of thousands of lives in southern Gaza if several key medical facilities cease operations due to the deterioration of emergency medical care and the depletion of essential medicines.
Since last Monday, the Israeli army has conducted intensive airstrikes and artillery bombardments on Khan Yunis, targeting hospitals.
It has prompted thousands of Palestinians to evacuate amid advancing Israeli ground forces in the southern and western areas of the city.
Israel has launched a deadly offensive on Gaza Strip an Oct. 7 Hamas attack, killing nearly 26,000 Palestinians and injuring 63,740 others. Nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.
The Israeli war has left 85% of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while more than half of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.
*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala