The Israeli army encircled Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza on Friday, advancing under heavy fire and imposing a siege from all directions, sources and witnesses said.
Military vehicles approached the hospital’s vicinity, supported by intense gunfire and artillery shelling, effectively isolating the facility.
Intense gunfire and the sound of Israeli artillery shells were heard in the area around the facility.
Israel launched a large-scale ground operation in northern Gaza since Oct. 5 to “prevent” the Palestinian resistance group Hamas from regrouping. Palestinians, however, accuse Israel of seeking to occupy the area and forcibly displace its residents.
More than 3,500 people have since been reported dead and missing, according to local health authorities.
The onslaught was the latest episode in Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip that has killed more than 44,500 people, mostly women and children, since Oct. 7, 2023.
Last month, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on Gaza.