Hamas Reports Over 500 Deaths
The health ministry, which is run by Hamas, said at least 500 people had been killed. Photos purportedly from al-Ahli Hospital and shared widely on social media showed fire engulfing the building, widespread damage, and bodies scattered in the wreckage. The photos could not be independently verified.
Refugees Seek Safety in Hospitals
Several hospitals in Gaza City have become refuges for hundreds of people, hoping they would be spared bombardment after Israel ordered all residents of the city and surrounding areas to evacuate to the southern Gaza Strip.
Hamas Condemns the Attack
Hamas, which sparked the latest war with an attack last week that killed more than 1,400 Israelis, called Tuesday’s hospital strike “a horrific massacre.” It said in a statement that most of the casualties were displaced families, patients, children, and women.
Israeli Military’s Response
Israeli military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said there were still no details on the hospital deaths: “We will get the details and update the public. I don’t know to say whether it was an Israeli air strike.”
Efforts to Deliver Aid
With Israel barring entry of water, fuel, and food into Gaza since Hamas’ attack last week, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken secured an agreement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the creation of a mechanism for delivering aid to the territory’s 2.3 million people.
Impact on Gaza’s Population
Israeli strikes on Gaza have killed at least 2,778 people and wounded 9,700, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Nearly two-thirds of those killed were children, a ministry official said.
Dire Humanitarian Situation
Aid workers warned that the territory was near complete collapse. Hospitals were on the verge of losing electricity, threatening the lives of thousands of patients, and hundreds of thousands of people searched for bread and water.
The U.N. agency for Palestinians said more than 400,000 displaced people are crowded into schools and other facilities in the south.
Stalled Aid Delivery Negotiations
Officials for Hamas and Israel cast doubt on an immediate opening for aid deliveries, saying they were unaware of an agreement.
The Broader Regional Impact
U.S. President Joe Biden prepared to head to the region as he and other world leaders tried to prevent the war from sparking a broader regional conflict. Violence flared Tuesday along Israel’s border with Lebanon, where Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants operate.
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