Israeli Airstrikes in Gaza: Al-Ahli Hospital Bombed Amid Renewed Offensive, Over 1,560 Dead Since Truce Collapse

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsened after a ceasefire collapsed on March 18, 2025. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports 1,563 Palestinians killed in the renewed Israeli offensive, raising the total death toll to 50,933 since October 2023. Israeli airstrikes on April 13 targeted the al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, killing at least three, including a 12-year-old boy, and rendering the hospital inoperable. The Israeli military claims the hospital was a Hamas command center. The UN and humanitarian groups warn these actions may constitute war crimes, as the offensive displaces hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.

Al-Ahli Hospital Bombed Amid Widening Offensive

In the early hours of April 13, Israeli airstrikes hit the al-Ahli Arab Hospital—also known as the Baptist Hospital—in Gaza City. The hospital, operated by the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem, was treating hundreds of patients at the time. According to multiple eyewitnesses and medical staff, the emergency department, pharmacy, and oxygen generation facilities were destroyed in the attack.

The Israeli military claimed the hospital was being used as a Hamas “command and control center,” stating that it had issued prior warnings and used precision munitions to minimize civilian harm. However, no evidence has been publicly provided to support the claim. The Diocese of Jerusalem condemned the bombing, calling it a “heinous” act and noting that this was the fifth time the hospital had been targeted during the war.

Emergency doctor Razan al-Nahhas, who previously worked at al-Ahli, reported that at least three patients died during the rushed evacuation, including a child on oxygen. “They arrived dead,” she said, describing the chaotic scene of patients and families fleeing into the streets. “There are so many patients on the streets… trying to find their way to a place for medical care.”

Humanitarian Collapse and Civilian Toll

The bombing of al-Ahli Hospital is part of a broader pattern of attacks on medical infrastructure in Gaza. According to the Gaza Media Office, Israel has targeted 36 hospitals since the war began. The United Nations and humanitarian organizations have repeatedly warned that such actions may constitute war crimes under international law, which protects medical facilities and personnel.

The renewed Israeli offensive has displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. The United Nations has warned that the expanding evacuation orders are resulting in the “forcible transfer” of civilians into increasingly smaller and more dangerous areas. UNRWA estimates that 400,000 people have been forcibly displaced since the ceasefire collapsed.

The Gaza Health Ministry reports that more than half of the 50,933 people killed since October 2023 are women and children. In the past 24 hours alone, at least 21 people were killed, including several children. A newborn named Sham, who had her arm amputated after an Israeli strike, died from her injuries due to a lack of medical resources.

Strategic Expansion and Blockade

Israel’s military campaign has intensified across the Gaza Strip. On Saturday, Israeli forces completed the seizure of the Morag corridor, effectively cutting off the southern city of Rafah from the rest of Gaza. The Netzarim corridor, which isolates northern Gaza, remains under Israeli control. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that the military would expand operations “vigorously” and that Hamas must release the remaining 59 hostages—24 of whom are believed to be alive—for the war to end.

In addition to military operations, Israel has imposed a month-long blockade on food, fuel, and humanitarian aid. Aid organizations and UN officials have condemned the blockade, warning that it is exacerbating the humanitarian catastrophe. UNRWA Director Philippe Lazzarini described Gaza as a “post-apocalyptic killing zone,” and warned that all basic supplies are running out.

International and Local Reactions

The bombing of al-Ahli Hospital has drawn sharp condemnation from Palestinian authorities and international observers. Hamas labeled the attack a “new war crime” and held the United States, Israel’s main ally, responsible. The Government Media Office in Gaza called it a “flagrant violation” of international law and the Geneva Conventions.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has documented 224 Israeli strikes between March 18 and April 9, 36 of which involved the killing of women and children. Palestinian rights group Al-Haq described the pattern of attacks as a “calculated effort to exterminate” civilians.

Despite growing international concern, Israel has signaled no intention of halting its offensive. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue military operations until Hamas is dismantled and all hostages are released.

References

• Patients evacuated from Gaza hospital after Israeli airstrike
• Israeli forces bomb al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza, forcing patients to flee
• ‘Escalating criminality’: Israeli bombs put Gaza hospital out of service
• Israel strikes a hospital in Gaza, forcing evacuation as strikes intensify
• Airstrike destroys parts of Gaza City hospital as Israel intensifies offensive
• Over 1,560 killed since Israel broke Gaza truce