MEZIESBLOG

Plans to evacuate three hospitals in Gaza are under way, the World Health Organisation has said. 

Al Shifa, Indonesian Hospital and al Ahli Hospital requested the assistance, asking for help evacuating patients, WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said. 

It comes after Gaza’s Hamas-led health ministry reported at least 12 people had been killed and dozens wounded by firing into the Indonesian Hospital complex yesterday. 

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he was “appalled” by the attack. 

The Israeli Defence Forces said troops had fired back at fighters in the hospital, while taking “numerous measures to minimise harm” to civilians. 

Like all other health facilities in the northern half of Gaza, the Indonesian Hospital has largely ceased operations but is still sheltering patients, staff and displaced residents.

Over the weekend, 31 premature babies were evacuated from al Shifa and taken to a hospital in southern Gaza. 

Yesterday, 28 of them were transported to Egypt for treatment, while the other three remained at Emirati hospital in the strip. 

Israeli forces seized al Shifa last week to search for a tunnel network they said was built by Hamas beneath the hospital.

Hundreds of patients, medical staff and displaced people left at the weekend, with doctors saying they were ejected by troops and Israel saying the departures were voluntary.