Israel Escalates Gaza Offensive: Over 90 Targets Hit, Including Hospitals, Amid Ceasefire Breakdown

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) struck over 90 targets in Gaza, including command centers, tunnels, and hospitals, within 48 hours amid stalled ceasefire talks with Hamas. The strikes resulted in dozens of civilian casualties, including children and medical personnel. An airstrike on al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City rendered it nonfunctional, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. The IDF claims the hospital was used by Hamas, a charge denied by Hamas. The escalation follows Israel's rejection of a ceasefire proposal, demanding Hamas's disarmament and the release of hostages.

IDF Expands Operations Across Gaza

On Sunday, April 13, the IDF confirmed it had launched a series of coordinated air and ground operations across Gaza, targeting what it described as Hamas military infrastructure. According to an official statement, the military struck more than 90 sites, including command and control centers, weapons depots, and underground tunnel routes used by Hamas operatives.

One of the most significant operations involved the dismantling of a 1.2-kilometer-long underground tunnel in northern Gaza. The IDF reported that the tunnel was used for terrorist activities and was located near a weapons storage facility containing approximately 20 explosive devices and an anti-tank guided missile. During the operation, Israeli aircraft eliminated several individuals allegedly attempting to plant explosives near IDF troops.

Hospitals Targeted Amid Ongoing Strikes

Among the most controversial developments was the Israeli airstrike on al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, the last fully functional hospital in northern Gaza. The strike, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday, destroyed the hospital’s emergency and surgery departments, as well as its oxygen generation station. The facility was forced to evacuate patients, including those in critical condition, following a prior warning issued by the Israeli military.

The IDF claimed the hospital was being used as a Hamas command and control center, a charge Hamas has denied. The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, which operates the hospital, reported that one child died during the rushed evacuation process. Video footage from the scene showed flames engulfing the building and patients fleeing in hospital beds.

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that the attack disrupted critical medical care, leading to the death of at least one child. Gaza’s Civil Defence reported that the strike left the hospital inoperative, forcing patients and medical staff into the streets.

Civilian Casualties Mount

The latest wave of Israeli strikes has resulted in significant civilian casualties. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 37 people were killed across the territory on Sunday alone. Among the dead were six brothers, aged 10 to 30, who were killed in a strike on a car in Deir al-Balah. Their father stated that the boys were volunteers distributing food to displaced Palestinians.

In another incident, an airstrike on a house in the Jabaliya refugee camp killed at least seven people, including two women. Additional strikes in Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah killed at least six more individuals, including women and children, according to local hospital sources.

Since the collapse of the ceasefire on March 18, Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that 1,574 Palestinians have been killed, bringing the total death toll since the war began on October 7, 2023, to over 50,944. The ministry does not distinguish between combatants and civilians but states that more than half of the victims are women and children.

Ceasefire Talks Collapse

The renewed military escalation follows the breakdown of ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas. In early May, Hamas accepted a ceasefire proposal brokered by Egypt and Qatar, which included a six-week truce and a prisoner exchange. However, Israel rejected the deal, stating it did not meet its core demands, particularly the dismantling of Hamas’s military and administrative structures.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office reiterated that any agreement must ensure the complete disarmament of Hamas and the release of all remaining hostages. As of now, 59 hostages remain in Gaza, with 24 believed to be alive. Israel has vowed to continue its military operations until these objectives are met.

Despite rejecting the latest ceasefire proposal, Israel has indicated it will continue negotiations. However, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant emphasized that the war would not end until Hamas is eliminated or all hostages are freed.

International Condemnation and Legal Concerns

The repeated targeting of hospitals has drawn sharp criticism from international organizations and human rights groups. The UN Human Rights Office reported in December 2024 that at least 136 Israeli attacks had struck 27 hospitals and 12 other medical facilities in Gaza between October 2023 and June 2024. These attacks resulted in heavy casualties among medical staff and civilians and caused extensive damage to critical infrastructure.

Under the 1949 Geneva Conventions, hospitals and medical personnel are protected during armed conflict. The targeting of such facilities, unless they are being used for military purposes, is considered a war crime. Israel maintains that Hamas embeds its operations within civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, a claim that Hamas denies.

References

• IDF says it dismantled underground terrorist route in Gaza - The Tribune
• Israel says it struck another Hamas command centre in Gaza
• Israeli air strike destroys part of last fully functional hospital in Gaza City
• Israel kills 37 in Gaza; Sick child dies after attack on al-Ahli Hospital
• Israel intensifies strikes across Gaza on Palm Sunday and hits a hospital
• Gaza hospital hit as Israel intensifies assault
• Rafah offensive - Wikipedia
• Timeline: Israel’s attacks on hospitals throughout its war on Gaza
• Israeli missiles hit major Gaza hospital in day of deadly strikes