DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip — On Sunday, Israeli airstrikes in central Gaza resulted in the deaths of at least 14 individuals, including children, as reported by Palestinian health officials. Additionally, an attack on a hospital located in northern Gaza left several patients injured.
The Israeli military remains engaged in an ongoing offensive targeting Hamas militants in northern Gaza, a region where many Palestinian civilians have been effectively cut off from the rest of the territory, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation.
A particularly devastating airstrike struck a residential building in the Bureij refugee camp on Sunday afternoon, leading to the casualties being transported to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah. Among the deceased, at least nine individuals were confirmed dead, including six children and a woman, as seen by a journalist at the hospital’s morgue.
Earlier on that day, another strike hit a tent in the Nuseirat refugee camp, claiming the lives of at least five people, including two parents along with their two children, according to reports from Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.
In northern Gaza, the local Health Ministry reported that a bombing targeted the Indonesian Hospital, injuring six patients, with one suffering serious injuries. This hospital is the largest facility in the northern part of Gaza.
The Health Ministry issued a statement demanding international protection for hospitals and medical personnel, while also calling for safe access to medical facilities and the provision of essential supplies and fuel for medical care. They further emphasized the need for the safe evacuation of the injured.
The Israeli military stated on Sunday evening that they had no knowledge of an attack occurring at the Indonesian Hospital “in the last three to four hours.”
Additionally, without providing further details, the military mentioned that they temporarily closed the Kerem Shalom crossing after militants launched mortar shells from nearby, targeting their troops. While the crossing was eventually reopened, the distribution of humanitarian aid was reportedly delayed due to the situation.
The Kerem Shalom crossing remains the sole cargo crossing between Israel and Gaza, serving as a critical lifeline for humanitarian aid, particularly since the closure of the Rafah crossing with Egypt in May. Last month, it accounted for nearly two-thirds of all aid entering Gaza.
As Gaza enters a second consecutive cold and rainy winter, many Palestinians are living in makeshift tent camps and dependent on international assistance.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza initiated when Hamas-led militants launched attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of around 1,200 people, predominantly civilians, and the abduction of approximately 250 individuals. Reports indicate that around 100 hostages are believed to still be in Gaza, with a substantial number presumed deceased.
Israel’s counteroffensive has reportedly claimed the lives of more than 45,600 Palestinians in Gaza, over half of whom are said to be women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. This ministry does not provide figures regarding combatant casualties. The Israeli military claims to have killed more than 17,000 militants but has not supplied evidence to substantiate this assertion.
