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All hospitals in northern Gaza have ceased operations after days of intense Israeli assault, leaving hundreds of patients and displaced people with no access to life-saving care.
Israeli tanks entered the courtyard of Al Awda Hospital at dawn on Thursday, firing shells that hit the surgery wing, said Dr Raafat Al Majdalawi. Gaza's Indonesian Hospital – the only other infirmary that was offering services in the north – was forced to shut down this week.
The tanks at Al Awda also fired at the main hospital building, hitting water tanks and fuel reserves, starting fires that spread throughout the complex, said Dr Al Majdalawi, director general of the Al Awda Health and Community Association.
He said 130 people were inside at the time – patients, medical staff and administrators. Although the Israeli tanks withdrew by morning, Al Awda remained under heavy fire and is no longer operational.
"It is deeply tragic that northern Gaza is now without medical services," Khalil Al Daqran, a spokesman for the Ministry of Health in Gaza, told The National.
"Thousands still need treatment but due to the relentless military operations, hospital sieges and targeted bombardments, medical care has become inaccessible. This is not just a violation of international law, it is a deliberate act of cruelty."
Israel this month launched a new military offensive known as Operation Gideon's Chariots, under which it plans to take control of the entire Gaza Strip, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The war has devastated Gaza's health sector and led to a critical shortage of supplies. Israel this week allowed limited aid deliveries to resume after a two-month blockade, but as of Thursday the UN said fewer than 200 aid lorries had arrived, compared with thousands each week during a ceasefire from January to March.
Last hospitals standing
The situation is especially dire given that Al Awda and the Indonesian Hospital were the last medical complexes in northern Gaza. Patients at a third hospital, Kamal Adwan, were placed under an Israeli eviction notice in December before troops stormed the building.
It had continued as a basic first-aid station, offering limited emergency services despite sustaining severe damage. However, last Friday and Saturday, the remaining medical teams were forced to flee due to intense bombardment and gunfire in the area.
Israeli military vehicles then approached the Indonesian Hospital on Sunday, demolishing part of a wall after arriving at its northern perimeter. The following morning, Israeli forces set fire to the hospital’s generators, completely cutting power and stranding staff and patients inside.
At Al Awda, Israeli tanks "roamed the hospital grounds for hours" before withdrawing, Dr Al Majdalawi told The National. "During the incursion, they set fire to the tents of the outpatient clinics. Several staff members and volunteers suffered minor injuries.
"We hold the Israeli occupation fully responsible for their safety and well-being. We urgently call on the international community and the World Health Organisation to intervene and protect the hospital."
Amjad Shawa, director of the Palestinian NGO Network, told The National the health system had "completely collapsed". He said thousands of civilians in northern Gaza would now be left without any access to medical care.
"All hospitals are out of service. This is a humanitarian catastrophe," he said. "What we are witnessing is a calculated and systematic campaign to eliminate the healthcare infrastructure in northern Gaza."
He accused the Israeli military of committing war crimes by targeting hospitals, medical personnel and patients. Israel says Hamas uses hospitals as military bases and command centres.
Health officials are urging the UN, the WHO and international human rights groups to take immediate action to protect medical services and ensure the safety of healthcare workers and civilians.
Without international intervention, health officials warn more lives will be lost, not just from air strikes, but from the total collapse of Gaza’s ability to care for its sick and wounded.
