The Israeli military struck the compound of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in central Gaza, killing at least one person, wounding seven others, and demolishing over a dozen tents.
The fatal attack on Friday is the latest to hit the medical institution, which has been sheltering displaced Palestinians for months and is experiencing a critical scarcity of medical staff, equipment, and drugs.
The hospital is the only operating facility in central Gaza, serving thousands of Palestinians. Since October 7, Israel has shelled the hospital in Deir el-Balah multiple times, making it one of the few sites still considered “safe” for residents who have been displaced from other regions to seek refuge.
Reporting from the hospital, Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum described the wreckage at the location as significant, pointing to a crater caused by the hit. “Palestinian refugees have left everything they have here, and they are completely destroyed, even the blankets, mattresses and beds,” according to him.
Some components of the Israeli weapon used were also found at the site, and one piece clearly showed that it was manufactured in the United States, according to Abu Azzoum
“Al-Aqsa is a place where people are seeking to protect themselves following Israel’s overwhelming ground offensive. However, people in this area no longer feel safe due to the constant Israeli attacks,” stated Abu Azzoum.
In addition, four individuals were killed in a separate Israeli strike on a residence in the Jabalia refugee camp, in northern Gaza, according to Al Jazeera’s team on the ground.