Double missile strike on Gaza City’s last hospital

A double Israeli missile strike struck the only fully functioning hospital in Gaza City as the IDF expanded the war across the enclave.

The Israeli military on Sunday said it targeted “a command and control complex” inside the hospital allegedly used by Hamas.

It said: “The complex was used by terrorists to plan and execute terrorist attacks against IDF forces and citizens of the State of Israel.”

According to Gaza’s Hamas-run civil defence agency, the strike came “minutes after the Israeli army’s warning to evacuate” and “led to the destruction of the surgery building and the oxygen generation station for the intensive care units”.

The IDF said it called the hospital to give advanced warning of the strike and used precision weapons, and aerial surveillance. Hamas confirmed that hospital officials received a call and evacuated patients, who were seen being pushed down the streets on beds and in wheelchairs.

The Israeli military accused Hamas of “systematically violating international law” by using civilian facilities as “human shields”.

Meanwhile, Israel announced on Saturday that it had completed construction of a security corridor separating Rafah from the rest of Gaza.

The Israeli military also said it plans to expand operations across most of the territory, further limiting areas where Palestinians can seek refuge.

Israel Katz, the defence minister, told residents: “Soon, IDF operations will intensify and expand to other areas throughout most of Gaza, and you will need to evacuate the combat zones.”

He said the Israeli military has completed its takeover of the Morag axis, a corridor between Rafah and Khan Yunis in southern Gaza.

The area has now become part of an Israeli security zone, according to Mr Katz.

He added: “In northern Gaza as well – in Beit Hanoun and other neighbourhoods – residents are evacuating, the area is being taken over and the security zone is being expanded, including in the Netzarim corridor.”

Israeli forces also ordered evacuations in Khan Yunis and surrounding areas after intercepting three rockets fired from southern Gaza.

The Israeli military said: “IDF troops are operating with significant force in the area, and will strike with intensity on any location from which rockets are launched.”

Israeli officials, including Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, said the ongoing assault is intended to pressure Hamas into releasing the 58 remaining hostages in Gaza..

‘Defenceless civilians’

Hamas said the offensive not only “kills defenceless civilians but also makes the fate of the occupation’s prisoners [hostages] uncertain”.

It comes as a Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya, the chief negotiator, met with Egyptian mediators in Cairo on Saturday.

A Hamas official said they hope for “real progress towards reaching an agreement to end the war”.

According to the official, Hamas has not yet received any new ceasefire proposals, despite Israeli media reports suggesting that Israel and Egypt had exchanged draft documents outlining a potential ceasefire and hostage release agreement.

“However, contacts and discussions with mediators are ongoing,” the official said, accusing Israel of “continuing its aggression” in Gaza.

Israeli media reported that Egypt’s proposal includes releasing eight living hostages and eight bodies in exchange for a 40-70 day truce and the release of Palestinian prisoners.

Donald Trump, the US president, said during a cabinet meeting this week that “we’re getting close to getting them [the hostages] back”.

‘Serious deal taking shape’

Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy, said “a very serious deal is taking shape, it’s a matter of days”.

Mr Katz called on Palestinians to “remove Hamas and release all the hostages,” saying this is “the only way to end the war”.

He added that those interested could “voluntarily move to various countries around the world, in accordance with the vision of the US president”.

The United Nations warned on Friday that expanding Israeli evacuation orders were forcing Palestinians into increasingly confined areas, raising “real concern as to the future viability of Palestinians as a group in Gaza”.

Since the March 18 collapse of a previous ceasefire, more than 1,500 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.