The Israeli military confirmed late Sunday that it had struck tents housing displaced individuals at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, located in the central Gaza Strip.
This attack resulted in the deaths of four Palestinians and injured 40 others, some suffering from severe burns.
A military statement indicated that under the guidance of IDF and ISA intelligence, the IAF conducted a targeted strike on operatives inside a command and control center in Deir al-Balah.
The statement alleged that this center, located within a facility previously known as the “Shuhadah Al-Aqsa” hospital, was utilized by Hamas members to plan and carry out attacks against IDF forces and the State of Israel.
Earlier that day, Israeli warplanes targeted several displacement tents in the hospital’s courtyard, causing a significant fire that consumed around 30 tents.
According to officials at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, the airstrike resulted in at least four fatalities and 40 injuries, with the victims suffering severe burns and some bodies being charred beyond recognition. Witnesses reported that most of the injured had second and third-degree burns, as noted by Anadolu.
A statement from the Gaza government media office indicated that this marked the Israeli army’s seventh strike on tents for displaced civilians at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. Previous bombings occurred on January 10, March 13, July 22, August 4, and September 27.
Social media has been flooded with images of individuals trapped in the flames, and witnesses reported that the rapid spread of the fire was exacerbated by the flammable materials used in the tents.
Medical teams managed to evacuate several injured persons, including women and children, whose clothing had caught fire due to the explosion.
Since a cross-border assault by the Palestinian group Hamas on October 7 last year, Israel has maintained a severe offensive on Gaza, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.
Local health authorities report that over 42,200 people have died, primarily women and children, and more than 98,400 have been injured. The Israeli campaign has displaced nearly the entire population of the Gaza Strip amidst a continuing blockade that has led to acute shortages of food, clean water, and medical supplies.
Israel is currently facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice regarding its actions in Gaza.
