In a significant escalation of the ongoing conflict, Israeli forces have expanded their operations deeper into Gaza on Friday, demolishing the territory’s only specialized cancer hospital. This strategic move coincides with Israeli leadership’s determination to reclaim land until Hamas agrees to free hostages it still holds.
The targeted hospital, situated in the Netzarim Corridor, bisects Gaza and remained under Israeli control for much of the prolonged 17-month conflict. Israel regained this strategic area after breaking a ceasefire earlier in the week, which had brought relative peace to Gaza since late January. This truce also facilitated the release of more than two dozen hostages.
According to the Israeli military, their forces attacked the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital because it was allegedly being used by Hamas militants. Turkish authorities, having contributed to the hospital’s construction and funding, condemned Israel’s actions, accusing them of violating international law. They claimed that Israeli forces had, at some point, occupied the hospital site.
Dr. Zaki Al-Zaqzouq, who heads the hospital’s oncology department, expressed his disbelief, highlighting the facility’s role as a critical resource for patients. The Turkish Foreign Ministry strongly criticized the hospital’s destruction, stating that such actions by Israel render Gaza increasingly uninhabitable.
Israeli forces seem poised to intensify their military campaign in the region, risking greater destruction and casualties as they persistently pursue more comprehensive objectives. Defense Minister Israel Katz emphasized that intensified operations will continue until Hamas capitulates and releases the 59 remaining hostages.
The Israeli army announced preparations for new offensives targeting areas west of Gaza City and cautioned residents via social media to vacate the zones. These warnings followed the military’s interception of rockets launched from Gaza, setting off alerts in the coastal city of Ashkelon. Concurrently, Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched a long-range missile that activated air raid sirens over Jerusalem for the fourth consecutive day.
Israeli troops have also advanced towards Beit Lahiya in the north and Rafah in the south, further restricting Palestinian movements from northern Gaza. The scene was marked by displaced Palestinians fleeing by road, laden with personal belongings.
A particularly deadly strike east of Gaza City resulted in the deaths of a couple, their two children, and two other unrelated children, as reported by witnesses and a local medical facility. The Israeli army acknowledged targeting a militant in a city building while attempting to minimize civilian harm.
In parallel developments in Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to dismiss the domestic security chief has intensified a political standoff, primarily revolving around the accountability for the October 2023 Hamas assault that ignited the present conflict in Gaza. The Supreme Court has delayed the firing, ordering a review by early April. Critics view Netanyahu’s actions as a power grab, undermining civil service independence.
On the ground in Gaza, resumed hostilities have claimed the lives of approximately 600 Palestinians since the conflict reignited earlier in the week, catching many off guard during their Ramadan observances. Israel’s blockade, cutting off vital supplies, is seen as a tactic to pressurize Hamas.
Since the outbreak of hostilities due to Hamas-led attacks in October 2023, which resulted in significant Israeli casualties and kidnappings, most hostages have been released. Israeli officials state they have neutralized significant numbers of militants amid the conflict’s devastating human toll.
