Gaza’s European Hospital Targeted in Israeli Attack
The Israeli military said it had struck what it described as a “Hamas command centre” located beneath the European Hospital, but provided no supporting evidence.
At least 28 people were killed in Israeli strikes near the European Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on Tuesday, according to Gaza’s civil defence agency. The attacks came shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to escalate the military offensive, declaring that Israeli forces would enter Gaza “with full force” in the coming days.
Rescue teams reported that the intensity of the bombardment left some bodies scattered around the hospital grounds, making recovery efforts nearly impossible. The civil defence agency also claimed that a second round of missile strikes targeted individuals attempting to aid the wounded, stating that the Israeli army “deliberately targeted anyone who tried to reach” the injured.
The Israeli military said it had struck what it described as a “Hamas command centre” located beneath the European Hospital, but provided no supporting evidence.
Earlier in the day, Israeli forces also carried out a separate attack on the Nasser Medical Complex, also in Khan Younis. The strike killed two people, including Palestinian journalist Hassan Eslaih. Gaza’s Government Media Office confirmed Eslaih’s death, noting that he was receiving treatment in the hospital’s burn unit for injuries sustained in an Israeli strike on April 7 targeting a media tent near the hospital.
The ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza has led to devastating casualties. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 52,908 Palestinians have been killed and 119,721 wounded. The Government Media Office has updated the death toll to over 61,700, accounting for thousands more presumed dead under the rubble.