By Mohammed Majed
GAZA, Palestine (AA) - The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) decided on Sunday not to evacuate Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza City despite Israeli threats to bomb it.
Raed al-Nims, the PRCS spokesperson, told Anadolu: “Israeli aircraft are targeting the vicinity of Al-Quds Hospital and have renewed their threat to bomb it.”
Al-Nims added: “We have decided to continue operating the hospital and not to evacuate it.”
The society also emphasized on Sunday on X: “The Israeli occupation forces deliberately continue to launch rockets directly near Al-Quds hospital in Gaza to force medical staff, displaced individuals, and patients to evacuate the hospital.”
“This has caused significant damage to hospital departments and exposed residents and patients to suffocation,” the PRCS further added.
Earlier on Sunday, the PRCS stated that it had received a “strongly worded threat” from the Israeli army, demanding “the immediate evacuation of Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza as a prelude to bombing it.”
Israel has heavily bombarded Gaza since Oct. 7 when the Palestinian group Hamas carried out a cross-border attack, killing 1,400 people, and taking many hostages.
The number of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza has risen to 8,005, including 3,342 children, 2,062 women, and 460 elderly, according to the Health Ministry.
The Israeli army's spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, on Saturday announced "expanding its operations," and moving to the "next phase of our war against Hamas," which includes ground operations.
Gaza's 2.3 million residents are also grappling with shortages of food, water, fuel, and medicine due to Israel’s blockade of the enclave.
*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala