Israeli jets bombard areas near Gaza’s largest hospital; 30 hospitals, health centres shut

Israeli warplanes have conducted airstrikes on areas close to the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip, as the regime’s genocidal war on the besieged enclave enters its 23rd day.

Citing eyewitnesses, the Associated Press reported on Sunday that the aerial assaults hit areas near Shifa Hospital, which is filled with patients and tens of thousands of people seeking shelter.

The strikes, the report added, destroyed most of the roads leading to the hospital.

“Reaching the hospital has become increasingly difficult,” sheltering Gazan Mahmoud al-Sawah said. “It seems they want to cut off the area.”

Israel claimed that its raid had targeted a command post run by the Hamas resistance movement under the hospital.

It came almost two weeks after Israel targeted Al-Ahli Arabi Hospital in central Gaza, killing hundreds of civilians, including women and children.

30 hospitals, health centers in Gaza shut down

Also on Sunday, officials at the Gaza Health Ministry said that at least 30 hospitals and health centers have shut down in the coastal enclave since October 7, when Israel launched its bloody bombing campaign on Gaza.

The hospitals ceased to function because they had run out of medical and fuel supplies, they noted.

The Ministry officials further said that several hospitals have had to enforce part closures, warning that more closures are expected in the coming hours and days if no supplies are allowed into Gaza.

‘Blackout keeping aid from entering Gaza’

On Saturday, a Palestinian Red Crescent spokesperson said that no international aid had entered the Gaza Strip due to the communications blackout created by Israel.

Nebal Farsakh told the Associated Press that communication in Gaza was impossible and teams could not connect with Egyptian Red Crescent or UN personnel for rescue and relief efforts.

Israel waged the brutal war after Hamas launched the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity.

It has been committing war crimes in the Gaza Strip, killing over 8,000 Palestinians, half of whom are children.

The occupying regime has also imposed a "complete siege" on Gaza, cutting off fuel, electricity, food and water to the more than two million Palestinians living in the coastal enclave.