Post by : Bianca Haleem
Israel's military carried out separate air strikes in Gaza on Saturday, killing two Palestinians and destroying two warehouses near Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital that Palestinian officials said contained medical supplies. The attacks came as uncertainty continued over whether Israel has accepted an agreement with Hamas regarding the group's disarmament.
According to Palestinian health officials, two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli air strike in the Sheikh Radwan area of Gaza City. An Israeli military spokesperson said those targeted were Hamas militants but did not provide additional details.
In a separate strike, two warehouses used to store medicine for Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah were destroyed, the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said.
Several hours later, the Israeli military said it had targeted a Hamas hideout located near the hospital, claiming it was being used to store weapons. The military also stated that additional sites across Gaza believed to be used by Hamas for storing arms were struck.
Israel said the operations were directed by the Shin Bet intelligence agency. However, it did not provide evidence to support its claim that weapons were stored at the targeted locations.
Reuters footage from the strike site in Deir al-Balah showed a large crater surrounded by debris, including what appeared to be medical supplies, near a crowded camp where displaced Palestinians were living in tents.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said the attack also damaged two additional medicine warehouses and the hospital's outpatient clinic. No immediate injuries were reported.
Hospital officials said the destroyed warehouses contained essential medical supplies used to treat kidney failure patients receiving dialysis. The facilities also stored wound care materials such as gauze and other routine medical supplies.
Khalil al-Daqran, a doctor at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, described the strike as a serious attack. "The Israeli occupation has committed a heinous crime," al-Daqran said.
He added that the warehouse containing medical supplies was completely destroyed during the overnight strike.
Witnesses said the Israeli military had issued an evacuation warning before carrying out the strike in Deir al-Balah.
Fatima Sharab, a 34-year-old displaced Palestinian mother of two living near the warehouses, said the blast destroyed tents sheltering around 60 to 70 people.
According to Sharab, many people requiring medical treatment had been staying close to the hospital to improve access to healthcare services.
Hospitals and civilian facilities are protected under international humanitarian law unless they are used for military purposes.
Israel has repeatedly stated that Hamas and other armed groups operate from civilian areas, including hospitals and other public facilities.
Israel has continued conducting military strikes in Gaza despite agreeing to a U.S.-mediated ceasefire last October. Palestinian health officials say 1,222 Palestinians have been killed in the past nine months, adding that many of the victims were women and children. Hamas rarely releases information about its own casualties.
On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump said there had been a breakthrough in his plan to end the Gaza war. He stated that Hamas had agreed to lay down its weapons under the proposal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not publicly commented on the reported agreement.
However, Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir rejected the proposal, calling it unacceptable and insisting that Israel should continue its policy of targeting Hamas leaders.
Trump's Board of Peace, created to implement his Gaza peace initiative, also released a roadmap on Thursday outlining the final steps of the plan. The document states that Israel would stop military operations as part of its commitment to Trump's 20-point peace plan, which both sides signed last year.
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