Israel hits Gaza hospital, no casualties

CAIRO: Two Israeli missiles hit a building inside a main Gaza hospital on Sunday, destroying the emergency and reception department and damaging other structures, medics said, in a strike which Israel said was against Hamas fighters exploiting the facility.

Health officials at the Al-Ahli Arab Baptist Hospital evacuated the patients from the building after a phone call from someone who identified himself as Israeli security shortly before the attack.

No casualties were reported in the strike. The Israeli military said in a statement it had taken steps to reduce harm to civilians before it struck the compound, which was being used by Hamas militants to plan attacks.


The hospital-an institution of the Anglican Church and a major medical facility-was knocked out of operation, according Gaza's health ministry.

"Hundreds of patients and injured people had to be evacuated in the middle of the night, and many of them are now out in the streets without medical care, which puts their lives at risk," said the ministry's spokesperson, Khalil Al-Deqran.

Sunday's strikes came as Hamas leaders began a fresh round of talks in Cairo, in a bid to salvage a stalled ceasefire agreement with Israel, as Egypt, Qatar, and the United States have stepped up efforts to bridge gaps between the sides.

Images circulating on social media, which Reuters could not immediately verify, showed dozens of people leaving the premises, with some assisting patients on hospital beds.

Reuters footage showed significant destruction in and outside the hospital compound's church, and patients who couldn't leave.

"The scene was scary, from night until now, I haven't slept a single minute out of fear. All night, glass shattered at us inside," said an injured man, Mohammed Abu Nasser.