The situation is increasingly critical in the south of the Gaza Strip.
The Hamas Health Ministry said Tuesday that Israeli forces fired directly at a hospital in the town of Khan Yunis, located in the southern part of the Palestinian enclave.
“Israeli tanks are firing heavily on the upper floors of the surgery building and the emergency room of Nasser Hospital, and dozens of injuries are expected,” said a statement from the Islamist movement ministry. Palestinian.
Questioned by AFP, the Israeli army indicated that it was not informed.
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Khan Younes has become the epicenter of fighting between Hamas terrorists and Israeli soldiers, who left the northern Gaza Strip at the end of October and since progressed towards the south.
The spokesperson for the Israeli army announced Tuesday the death of 24 soldiers, including 21 "reservists", killed the day before in this part of the Gaza Strip, the heaviest daily death toll on the Israeli side since the launch of the offensive land against this Palestinian territory on October 27.
UN shelter targeted
The Hamas Ministry of Health further accused Israeli forces of "cutting off the Nasser hospital complex, putting lives (...) in danger", specifying that the transfer of patients to the nearby Jordanian military field hospital, was made impossible by the bombings.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) also announced on .
“At least six displaced people were killed and many others injured.”
Again, Israeli forces indicated that they were unaware of these strikes.
One of the largest @UNRWA shelters in Khan Younis (southern #Gaza) was hit during military operations yesterday.
At least 6 displaced people were killed and many more injured during intense fighting around our shelter.
Terrified staff, patients and displaced people are now… pic.twitter.com/tg6rOWQ6e2
— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) January 23, 2024
As Israeli forces continue their operations, more than a million people are crowded into Rafah, south of Khan Yunis, near the border with Egypt.
According to the UN humanitarian aid coordination office (Ocha), “the fighting is intensifying, destroying civilian areas and causing deaths”, and “attacks on medical services are increasing”.