Battles intensify around Gaza hospitals
Israel reschedules talks with US on Rafah offensive
Battles and bombardment pounded the Gaza Strip yesterday, after Washington said Israel agreed to reschedule cancelled talks with tensions worsening between the allies.
United States criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has mounted over Gaza’s civilian death toll, dire food shortages, and Israeli plans to push its ground offensive against Hamas fighters into the farsouthern city of Rafah, which is packed with displaced civilians.
World leaders have warned against a Rafah offensive which they fear would worsen an already catastrophic humanitarian situation for the Palestinian territory’s 2.4 million residents.
The United Nations reported late Wednesday that famine “is ever closer to becoming a reality in northern Gaza”, and said the territory’s health system is collapsing “due to hostilities and access constraints”.
Bombardment and fighting have continued despite a binding UN Security Council resolution passed on Monday demanding an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza and the release of hostages held by gunmen.
Netanyahu scrapped an Israeli visit to Washington to discuss the Rafah plan, in protest of the UN ceasefire resolution from which the United States abstained, allowing it to pass.
Netanyahu’s government has since backtracked and agreed “to reschedule the meeting dedicated to Rafah”, according to White House spokeswoman Karine JeanPierre.
US officials say they plan to present Israel with an alternative for Rafah, focused on striking Hamas targets while limiting the civilian toll.
Fighting continued around three of the Strip’s hospitals, raising fears for patients, medical staff and displaced people inside them.
The Al-Amal hospital in Khan Younis, near Rafah, “has ceased to function completely”, the Palestine Red Crescent said earlier this week, following the evacuation of civilians from the medical centre.
Israel’s military accuses Hamas fighters of hiding in medical facilities and using civilians as shields.
Early yesterday, the army said militants had been firing on troops from within and outside the emergency ward at Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City.
Troops began raiding Al-Shifa early last week, and on Wednesday night carried out an air strike on the emergency ward “while avoiding harm to civilians, patients, and medical teams”, the army said.
The UN has reported “intensive exchanges of fire between the Israeli military and armed Palestinians”. It cited the Health Ministry as saying the army has confined medical staff and patients to one building, not allowing them to leave.
Israel’s army said troops had evacuated civilians, patients and staff “to alternative medical facilities” it set up.
Israeli tanks and armoured vehicles have also massed around the Nasser Hospital, the Health Ministry said, adding that shots were fired but no raid had yet been launched.
Gaza has endured almost six months of war and a siege that has cut off most food, water, fuel and other supplies.
Israel denies it is blocking food trucks but aid entering the Gaza Strip by land is far below pre-war levels – around 150 vehicles a day compared with at least 500 before the war, according to UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.
With limited ground access, several nations have begun aid airdrops, and a sea corridor from Cyprus delivered its first cargo of food.
But UN agencies said these are no substitute for land deliveries. – AFP