The ongoing conflict in Gaza escalated yet again as an Israeli airstrike struck a hospital in southern Gaza on Sunday night, igniting a blaze and causing multiple casualties, according to two doctors at the Nasser Medical Complex who spoke to CNN. This strike is part of Israel’s renewed offensive in the embattled enclave, intensifying military operations in the region.
Strike on Nasser Medical Complex
The Israeli military confirmed that it carried out the strike, stating that the target was a "key terrorist in the Hamas terrorist organization who was operating inside" the hospital. However, the identity of the alleged target was not disclosed.
Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV reported that Ismail Barhoum, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, and his nephew, Ibrahim, were killed in the strike. Barhoum had been receiving medical treatment for injuries he sustained during a previous Israeli airstrike on March 18. Hamas later confirmed his death, condemning it as an example of Israel’s "disregard for all international norms and agreements."
International humanitarian law, particularly the Geneva Conventions, grants hospitals special protections during armed conflict. They can only be targeted under extremely limited circumstances, such as when they are being used to actively commit “an act harmful to the enemy.” The attack on a medical facility raises concerns about compliance with these protections.
On-the-Ground Reports and Aftermath
Eyewitness accounts from the scene paint a dire picture. Dr. Tanya Haj Hassan, a pediatrician working with Medical Aid for Palestinians, reported that the second floor of the hospital had been struck. The attack targeted the men’s surgical unit, according to Dr. Mark Perlmutter, an American doctor currently in Gaza. Medical teams from both Europe and the United States were working at the hospital when the airstrike occurred.
Images from the aftermath reveal chaos and devastation—fire raging, thick smoke billowing, and dazed individuals walking through debris-strewn hallways with the power knocked out. Dr. Perlmutter shared a video with CNN showing the hospital’s interior following the attack, where stunned individuals wandered among the wreckage.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza directly blamed Israel for the strike, stating that "occupation forces have just targeted the surgical building inside Nasser Medical Complex, which houses many patients and injured individuals, resulting in a large fire at the location."
Encirclement of Tel al-Sultan
Meanwhile, Israel’s military offensive intensified elsewhere in Gaza. On Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that its troops had completed the encirclement of Tel al-Sultan, a district west of Rafah that has witnessed repeated military operations over the past year. This operation, the IDF stated, was aimed at "reinforcing control and expanding the security zone in southern Gaza."
During the night, Israeli troops eliminated several Hamas operatives and conducted a raid on what the military described as a Hamas "command and control center." The IDF had previously warned civilians to evacuate Tel al-Sultan, instructing them to move north to the Mawasi area. However, those fleeing were not permitted to use vehicles, forcing them to evacuate on foot under extremely dangerous conditions.
Reports from the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank indicated that thousands of already displaced individuals were forcibly removed from their tents in Tel al-Sultan under heavy gunfire. Gaza’s Civil Defense warned that more than 50,000 civilians in the Al-Baraksat area were "besieged by Israeli occupation forces," facing an imminent and grave threat.
Blocking of Humanitarian Aid
As the military campaign continues, Israel has also restricted humanitarian aid into Gaza, seeking to pressure Hamas into accepting new terms and releasing hostages. According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), no food, water, medicine, or fuel have entered Gaza in three weeks—a blockade even longer than what was in place during the initial phase of the war. The agency warned that "every day without food inches Gaza closer to an acute hunger crisis."
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. The Palestine Red Crescent Society reported that four of its ambulances were surrounded after responding to an Israeli attack in Rafah. Contact was also lost with a civil defense crew that was attempting to rescue an ambulance team west of Rafah.
Worsening Death Toll and Continued Operations
Israel’s ground operations are ongoing in both southern and northern Gaza. The IDF announced that its forces had begun new operations in Beit Hanoun, a northern area, where they targeted Hamas infrastructure. Fighter jets were also deployed to strike multiple Hamas sites.
The escalating conflict has resulted in a staggering death toll. The Health Ministry in Gaza reported on Sunday that 41 additional deaths had occurred within the past 24 hours. The overall death toll in Gaza since October 7 has now surpassed 50,000, marking a grim milestone in a war that shows no signs of abating.
The devastation continues, with no clear resolution in sight. As the humanitarian crisis deepens, calls for ceasefires and diplomatic interventions grow louder. However, with both sides unwilling to back down, the suffering of civilians caught in the crossfire remains an ongoing tragedy.
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