Why it matters:
The attack effectively ends access to emergency healthcare for hundreds of thousands of people in northern Gaza. It also reveals how the Israeli regime is violating international humanitarian law amid intensifying scrutiny over its genocidal campaign.
The big picture:
The strike on al-Ahli follows a pattern: Gaza’s healthcare system has been systematically dismantled throughout the war, with 35 hospitals attacked since October 7, according to Gaza’s Government Media Office.
The Israeli regime claims hospitals are used by resistance groups as “command centers,” but has failed to provide credible evidence.
The al-Ahli strike coincides with increasing international outrage and growing calls for accountability.
What they’re saying:
Razan al-Nahhas, emergency doctor in Deir el-Balah: “There are so many patients on the streets. I can’t even imagine the scene. Many won’t make it.”
On the ground: Three patients, including a 12-year-old boy on oxygen, died after being forced to evacuate the hospital.
Hamas: Called the attack a “new war crime,” saying that the Israeli regime is ignoring humanitarian norms and the U.S. is enabling impunity by blocking accountability mechanisms.
Key points:
- Al-Ahli’s emergency wing and life-support systems were annihilated in the strike.
- The remaining medical centers in northern Gaza are either overwhelmed or non-functional.
- Al-Nahhas said al-Ahli was treating victims of blast trauma—amputees, burn victims, and those with life-threatening injuries.
- Over 50,900 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in Israeli bombings since October 7.
Go deeper:
Verified footage from the al-Ahli bombing shows fireballs lighting up the sky and terrified civilians, including children, fleeing in the aftermath. Rescue teams continue to dig through the rubble for survivors. With Gaza’s health infrastructure crippled and medical evacuation nearly impossible, aid groups warn the enclave is now on the brink of irreversible catastrophe.
Mojtaba Darabi
