Israeli Airstrike on Gaza Hospital Camp Leaves Four Dead, Dozens Severely Burned

An early morning Israeli airstrike on a hospital courtyard in the Gaza Strip killed at least four people and left more than two dozen others with severe burns, according to Palestinian medics. The strike, which occurred at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, also sparked a fire that swept through a crowded tent camp, home to people displaced by the ongoing conflict.

Targeting Militants Amid Civilians

The Israeli military stated that the airstrike targeted militants allegedly hiding among civilians, though no evidence was provided to support the claim. In recent months, Israel has conducted multiple strikes on densely populated shelters and camps, accusing Hamas of using these areas to launch attacks. These strikes have significantly increased civilian casualties, further intensifying the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital was already struggling with a large number of patients from an earlier airstrike on a nearby school, which had been converted into a shelter. That strike resulted in at least 20 deaths and overwhelmed hospital staff. The subsequent airstrike on the hospital courtyard engulfed the tent camp in flames, leaving many critically injured.

Widespread Devastation and Casualties

Hospital records indicate that four people were killed in the airstrike, and 40 others were injured. Of those, 25 were transferred to Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza due to severe burns. Footage from the scene showed medics treating wounded children on the packed hospital floor, highlighting the dire conditions in Gaza’s hospitals.

Israel has continued its airstrike and ground operation campaign across Gaza, more than a year into the conflict. In northern Gaza, Israeli forces have intensified their assault, claiming that militants have regrouped in the region.

Roots of the Conflict

The conflict between Israel and Hamas began in October 2023 when Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and abducting 250 hostages. Of these, around 100 remain in Gaza, with one-third feared dead.

Israel’s retaliatory military response has killed more than 42,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which reports that a significant number of the victims are women and children. The war has displaced about 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, with many forced to move multiple times. Northern Gaza has been devastated, with Israel ordering the remaining population of around 400,000 to evacuate to the south.

Concerns of a Regional War

Amid the ongoing Gaza conflict, Israel is also waging a war in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah, a militant group allied with Hamas. Hezbollah has been launching rocket attacks on northern Israel for more than a year. A recent aerial attack by Hezbollah killed four Israeli soldiers and injured seven more, marking one of the deadliest strikes since Israel began its ground invasion of Lebanon.

Hezbollah’s attack, which targeted Israel’s elite Golani Brigade near Binyamina, was in retaliation for Israeli strikes on Beirut that killed 22 people. Israel’s national rescue service reported 61 wounded in the assault, an unusually high number despite the presence of Israel’s advanced air-defense systems.

As tensions rise on multiple fronts, fears of an all-out regional war, possibly involving Iran, continue to grow. With no resolution in sight, the humanitarian crisis deepens, as civilians bear the brunt of the ongoing conflict.