Two children in Gaza died Friday after oxygen equipment failed due to strikes near the last operating hospital in northern Gaza, sparking global outcry and fears of further civilian casualties. Gaza’s health ministry stated that Israeli forces raided the Kamal Adwan Hospital in the Jabalia refugee camp, detaining hundreds of patients, medical staff, and civilians seeking refuge from ongoing violence. Israel, however, claimed it was “unaware” of strikes that damaged essential hospital equipment and clarified that military operations were ongoing in the area.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported losing contact with the hospital early Friday, with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus describing the situation as “deeply disturbing given the number of patients being served and people sheltering there.” WHO representatives on-site described the conditions as chaotic, with thousands of women and children leaving the area on foot, often carrying minimal belongings as they moved toward Gaza City.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk warned of what he described as the “darkest moment” of the conflict in northern Gaza, cautioning that civilian casualties could escalate as Israeli forces focus on removing Hamas’s operational bases in the region. Turk reported more than 150,000 people dead, injured, or missing since the outbreak of the conflict in 2023, with UN estimates suggesting the number could “rise dramatically” as strikes continue.
According to Gaza’s civil defense agency, Israeli drone strikes killed 12 people awaiting aid near the Al-Shati refugee camp on Friday. In Khan Yunis, a southern Gaza city, an Israeli strike on the Fara family home reportedly killed 14 people, including nine children. Survivor Umm al-Ameer al-Fara, whose children and sister were killed in the strike, recalled being buried under rubble following the attack. An additional strike in Khan Yunis claimed the lives of six more people, according to civil defense officials.
Israel’s military confirmed that “a number of terrorists were eliminated” in southern Gaza, but did not provide specifics on the civilian casualties.
The conflict’s toll on journalists has also increased, with three reporters confirmed killed in Gaza this week. Since the war’s outbreak in 2023, Israel has faced rocket attacks from Hezbollah, a Hamas ally based in Lebanon, prompting Israeli forces to expand operations to secure its northern border. As a result, Lebanon has also seen heavy casualties, with the Lebanese health ministry recording 1,580 deaths since escalations began in September.
Sources By Agencies
