Israeli forces outside main Gaza hospital, offer to send in incubators

Israeli forces bombarded southern Gaza on Tuesday after tanks advanced to the gates of the enclave’s biggest hospital in the north where health officials say dozens of patients, including babies, have died due a lack of power and the heavy fighting.

At least 13 people were killed when Israeli forces targeted their homes in the southern city of Khan Younis, Gaza health ministry officials said. The military has also positioned tanks outside Al Shifa Hospital, Gaza City’s main medical centre, which Israel says sits atop tunnels housing a headquarters for Hamas fighters who are using patients as shields.

Hamas denies the Israeli claim.

The Israeli military said it was coordinating the transfer of incubators into Gaza, in a possible measure to enable the evacuation of newborn babies from the hospital.

Gaza health ministry spokesperson Ashraf Al-Qidra, who was inside Al Shifa hospital, said on Monday 32 patients had died in the previous three days, including three newborns. At least 650 patients remain inside, he added.

In his first comments since the patient deaths reported at Al Shifa, U.S. President Joe Biden said hospitals must be protected.

“My hope and expectation is that there will be less intrusive action relative to hospitals and we remain in contact with the Israelis,” Biden told reporters on Monday.

“Also there is an effort to get this pause to deal with the release of prisoners and that’s being negotiated, as well, with the Qataris … being engaged,” he added. “So I remain somewhat hopeful but hospitals must be protected.”

On Monday, Israel’s military released video and photos of what it said were weapons the group stored in the basement of Rantissi hospital, a paediatric hospital specializing in cancer treatment.

In a statement on its Telegram channel, Hamas said the video showed “fabricated scenes that misled public opinion”, adding that it was a “failed attempt” by Israel to justify the targeting of hospitals.