By Quds News Network
Gaza (Quds News Network)- Israeli warplanes have bombarded the Baptist Hospital in central Gaza City on Saturday, targeting critical medical facilities and sparking panic among hundreds of patients and civilians nearby.
The airstrike hit the surgical operations building and the medical oxygen generation station, vital for intensive care patients. Shortly earlier, Israeli forces had threatened to bomb the hospital, prompting a rushed evacuation of parts of the building.
The Israeli military launched two missiles directly at the hospital’s reception and emergency departments. The building is now completely out of service. The hospital’s electrical power was also cut due to the strike, leaving patients in critical condition without life-saving support.
Medical staff tried to evacuate as many patients as possible, but the short warning time made it impossible to move those in the surgery and internal medicine wards. Dozens remained trapped inside as the building took the hit.
Hundreds of patients and their families flooded the streets around the hospital in a state of fear and confusion. Warplanes continued to fly at low altitude over the area, adding to the chaos.
This is not the first time Israel has targeted the Baptist Hospital. In October 2023, an Israeli airstrike on the hospital’s courtyard killed hundreds of displaced civilians and injured dozens more. That massacre shocked the world and remains one of the deadliest attacks on a medical facility worldwide.
The Baptist Hospital, also known as the Arab Ahli Hospital, is one of the oldest hospitals in Gaza. It is operated by the Anglican Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and has long served as a refuge during times of war.
Medical teams on the ground warn that repeated attacks on hospitals are destroying Gaza’s fragile healthcare system. Many hospitals have already shut down due to strikes or fuel shortages. Now, even the few still standing face the constant threat of Israeli bombs.
International organizations have condemned Israel’s repeated targeting of medical facilities, calling it a violation of international law. However, the strikes continue, and Gaza’s wounded are left with nowhere safe to turn.
13 April 2025
Source: countercurrents.org