Israeli Forces withdraw from North Gaza hospital, arrest medical staff

On Saturday, Israeli forces reportedly withdrew from the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza after invading and storming the facility the day before, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

Officials say the forces detained several male medical staff members and some patients before leaving the hospital, which lies in an area where Israeli forces are launching attacks and carrying out raid.

The Gaza-based news agency WAFA reported that the latest Israeli attacks killed at least 30 people in the nearby town of Beit Lahiya, although this number has not been independently verified.

An Israeli military spokesperson commented that they had conducted a “precise strike on Hamas terrorists” in Beit Lahiya, targeting specific structures but said the high casualty count reported did not match the expected results of their precision-guided munitions.

Despite the reported withdrawal, health officials state that conditions in the hospital are dire.

Two children allegedly died after shelling disrupted power supplies, including generators crucial for the intensive care unit.

The incident follows weeks of intensified Israeli military activity in Gaza aimed at rooting out Hamas fighters.

Gaza’s health ministry estimates around 800 fatalities from airstrikes in the northern towns of Jabalia, Beit Hanoun, and Beit Lahiya. Kamal Adwan Hospital is one of the few medical facilities still operating in the area, with medics refusing orders to abandon their patients amid ongoing evacuation directives from the Israeli military.

Prior to the Israeli raid, the hospital housed approximately 600 individuals, including patients and their families.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) described the humanitarian situation in northern Gaza as "extremely dire" and has urged that safe passage be ensured for civilians seeking to evacuate.

The ICRC noted that evacuation orders, combined with blocked essential supplies, have left the remaining population in a vulnerable position. Hospitals in the region, already facing extreme shortages, are being forced to contemplate evacuation, leaving many civilians without access to medical care.

Senior Hamas official Basem Naim condemned the Israeli raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital, claiming that the incursion violated international humanitarian law.

Israel regularly attack hospital and sheleter sites under the pretext of Hamas presence and use civilian structures like hospitals for military purposes. Hamas had denied the Israeli claims.

Israeli forces reportedly expanded a humanitarian-designated area in the southern Gaza, urging civilians to evacuate there for safety.

Israeli airstrikes in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza, reportedly killed at least 45 people, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Concurrently, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian mourned four Iranian soldiers lost in recent Israeli attacks, which Tehran says caused only “limited damage.”

Lebanon's National News Agency reported additional Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, targeting Nabatieh and Baalbek, with further losses in the town of Jdeideh Marjayoun.

Amid the escalating conflict, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has called for an urgent UN Security Council meeting, emphasizing Iran's right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

Violence has escalated beyond Gaza, with Israeli forces conducting a raid in the West Bank’s Tulkarm city on Saturday, killing a Hamas operative allegedly planning an imminent attack.

The region’s violence has also extended to Iran, where Israeli jets conducted airstrikes on Iranian targets in retaliation for missile attacks earlier this month. The Iranian military stated that damages were minimal but warned against further escalation.

This complex humanitarian and security situation continues to escalate, with no immediate resolution in sight.