New Delhi, Nov 13: At least seven people, including a doctor and a 13-year-old boy, were killed and 40 others injured in an Israeli airstrike on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza, prompting the US-led Board of Peace to urge Israel and Hamas to honour their commitments under the Comprehensive Peace Plan and protect civilians, reports CNN.
The strike, hit the hospital’s surgery unit in Khan Younis, according to Gaza’s Civil Defence. Two doctors were among the injured and are in critical condition.
The Board of Peace, which is tasked with overseeing the Gaza ceasefire, on Thursday called on both sides to uphold their commitments and ensure civilian protection. It also urged all parties to “cede the necessary authority and operational space” to the board so that it could implement its plan to provide medical care in secure, demilitarised facilities.
The board’s intervention comes amid continuing violence in Gaza despite the US-brokered ceasefire. According to the United Nations, Israeli forces have killed more than 1,400 Palestinians since the ceasefire came into effect.
The Israeli military said it had targeted Muhammad Abu Ismail, commander of Hamas’ Khan Younis Brigade, along with other militants allegedly operating from inside Nasser Hospital. It accused him of planning and advancing attacks against Israeli forces and civilians.
CNN reported that Gaza Civil Defence spokesman Ezz Eddine Abu Sabha said the strike killed 52-year-old Dr Rizk Abu Shaira and a 13-year-old boy who was due to undergo surgery. He said the attack damaged the hospital’s surgery unit, leaving debris scattered across the facility. The attack drew angry reactions from Palestinians aand international organisations.
The Board of Peace criticised Israel’s response to severe flooding in Gaza, calling it “insufficient”. In a statement, the board said the urgent entry and distribution of shelter, sanitation, drainage and winterisation supplies were essential to protecting civilians as seasonal rains flooded thousands of tents housing displaced Palestinians.
Nearly two million Palestinians remain displaced in the enclave, according to the United Nations. Israel has said more than 91,000 tents have entered Gaza ahead of winter but has refused to allow heavy equipment required for large-scale clearance of debris and rubble.
Israel’s Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories said reconstruction could begin only after Hamas fully disarms, reports CNN. The latest developments underline the challenges facing the Board of Peace as it seeks to oversee the ceasefire, address Gaza’s humanitarian crisis and establish arrangements for medical care and reconstruction.
