The Israeli army says it has attacked an ambulance allegedly used by the Islamist Hamas during its advance in the northern Gaza Strip. The army announced on Friday that several terrorists had been killed.
However, the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry claimed that injured people had been transported to the border crossing so they could be treated in Egypt. The attack took place in front of the entrance to Shifa hospital in Gaza city. 13 people were killed and 26 others were injured. The information provided by both parties could not initially be independently verified.
Israel has long accused Hamas of deliberately placing its command centers, weapons depots and rocket launch pads in civilian facilities such as hospitals and schools, or in tunnels beneath them – so they are not bombed from the air.
WHO chief ‘shocked’ after ambulances shot at
“We are deeply shocked by reports of attacks on ambulances evacuating patients near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, which have resulted in deaths, injuries and damage,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization, wrote on platform X (formerly Twitter). “We repeat: patients, medical staff, facilities and ambulances must be protected at all times. Always.” The head of the WHO called for an immediate ceasefire.
Israel speaks of a ‘combat zone’
However, the Israeli military said the area under fire was a “combat zone.” According to Israel, Shifa Hospital also serves as a Hamas command center. They said they had information showing that “Hamas’ approach is to transport terrorists and weapons in ambulances.”
Israeli media reported, citing security circles, that Hamas had concentrated about 30,000 people in the area around the clinic as “human shields.” According to the media, the Israeli army has surrounded the city. It has repeatedly called on all citizens to flee south of the densely populated coastal area for their own safety.
New incidents on Israel’s northern border
Meanwhile, the Israeli army said it was repelling attacks from terrorists from Lebanon. As the army announced on Telegram on Saturday evening, a “terror cell” allegedly tried to fire anti-tank missiles in the area of Kibbutz Yiftah in northern Israel the day before. An Israeli army tank hit the terrorist cell.
In addition, a terrorist from Lebanon approached the border area near the community of Schelomi and was killed by an Israeli warplane.
Since the start of the Gaza war on October 7, there have been repeated clashes between the Israeli army and the pro-Iranian Shiite militia Hezbollah on the Israel-Lebanon border.
There were already deaths on both sides. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah warned Israel on Friday against military escalation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also responded with a warning: “Such a mistake will be very costly. They pay an unimaginable price.”
The US Secretary of State for Israel in Jordan
According to Jordanian sources, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken plans to discuss the Gaza war on Saturday with colleagues from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and other countries in the region in the local capital Amman.
Jordan wants to work with Arab states before the meeting to “end Israel’s war on Gaza and the humanitarian catastrophe it has caused,” the Jordanian news agency Petra reported on Friday evening, citing a spokesman for the Jordanian Foreign Ministry Affairs.
Blinken had previously called on Israel to provide better protection for civilians in the Gaza Strip. “We must do more to protect the Palestinian civilian population,” he said after meeting Netanyahu in Tel Aviv. The Israeli head of government once again emphasized that he rejects a ceasefire in the Gaza war as long as Hamas does not release the hostages in the Gaza Strip.
Report: Israel wants to intensify ground operations
According to a media report, the US government expects a new phase of Israel’s campaign against Hamas to begin in the coming days. CNN reported Saturday evening, citing a senior administration official in Washington, that President Joe Biden’s administration expected a reduction in airstrikes and a stronger “tactical focus on the ground campaign.” The aim is likely to clear the vast network of underground tunnel complexes from which Hamas operates.
Israel’s Army: Hamas Operational Plans Found
Following the recent airstrikes on the Jabalia refugee camp, which Israel claims masterminded the October 7 massacre, Israeli infantry claimed to have found Hamas operational plans, maps and communications equipment, as well as personal data of Hamas commanders and soldiers. terrorists, military information showed on Friday. This information would be evaluated by intelligence and made available to the military for future battles.
The army said 50 terrorists were killed in the operation in Jabalia. According to Palestinian accounts, many civilians were among the victims. The Israeli army says it still cannot say how many civilians have been killed. The information from both sides can hardly be independently verified.
What will be important on Saturday
US Secretary of State Blinken will meet in Amman with colleagues from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and other countries in the region to discuss the war in Gaza, according to Jordanian sources. (cst/sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
