Israel Bombs Gaza’s Last Functional Northern Hospi...

Israel Bombs Gaza’s Last Functional Northern Hospital, Escalating Humanitarian Catastrophe

ZimNow Reporter

Israeli forces have bombed Gaza’s al-Ahli Hospital, the final lifeline for medical care in the north, obliterating its emergency unit, main entrance, and critical oxygen supplies for intensive care patients.

The assault destroyed its emergency department and oxygen reserves, forcing doctors to evacuate patients into streets littered with debris.

Dr. Fadel Naim, a surgeon at the hospital, reported at least three deaths during the chaotic evacuation, including a 9-year-old boy cut off from oxygen.

“We are watching people die needlessly. This is a massacre of humanity,” he told Al Jazeera.

Gaza’s Health Ministry condemned the strike as a “war crime,” accusing Israel of systematically dismantling healthcare to inflict collective punishment.

Over seven months of relentless Israeli bombardment, Gaza has been reduced to ruins. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 36,000 Palestinians have been killed, including over 15,000 children, while 82,000 others are injured, many with life-altering wounds.

The assault has displaced 1.9 million people—85% of the population—forcing families into overcrowded tent camps riddled with disease and starvation. Critical infrastructure lies in ruins: 70% of homes, 90% of schools, and 26 hospitals have been destroyed or rendered nonfunctional.

The bombing of al-Ahli Hospital marks a catastrophic turning point. As the sole remaining medical facility in the north, it was treating hundreds of patients, including victims of airstrikes, malnourished children, and critically ill individuals dependent on ventilators.

Even as global outrage mounts, Israeli attacks have intensified. Overnight, airstrikes killed at least 12 people in northern Jabalia, while forces raided a UNRWA school-turned-shelter in Gaza City, terrorizing displaced families. The EU denounced the renewed offensive, demanding Israel “immediately lift its total blockade” to allow aid into the starved enclave. UN agencies stress that 1.1 million people face “catastrophic hunger,” with aid access blocked by Israeli restrictions.

Diplomatic efforts to halt the violence remain fraught. A recent UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire and hostage release has been ignored by Israel, while U.S.-backed talks mediated by Egypt and Qatar stall over disagreements on lasting peace terms.

Hamas insists on a permanent ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal; Prime Minister Netanyahu rejects these terms, vowing to continue until “total victory.”

Regional actors, including Saudi Arabia and Jordan, urge a revived two-state solution framework, but with Netanyahu’s government opposed to Palestinian statehood, prospects dim. Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court’s push for arrest warrants against leaders on both sides has drawn ire from Israel and cautious hope from advocates.