CAIRO — One of Gaza's remaining operating big hospitals criticized Doctors Without Borders' decision to stop operations because of fears of armed individuals. The hospital said on Sunday that it has hired civilian police to keep the facility safe.
The uncommon public disagreement between two well-known health care specialists in Gaza happened as the number of Palestinians killed since the current ceasefire rose above 600. Hospitals said that Israeli fire killed at least 11 Palestinians in the last 24 hours.
On Saturday, Doctors Without Borders, or MSF, stated in a statement that all of its noncritical medical procedures at Nasser Hospital were put on hold because of security breaches that posed "serious" threats to its staff and patients. MSF claimed that since the U.S.-brokered ceasefire in October, there have been more reports of armed men being seen by patients and staff in some portions of the compound.
On Sunday, Nasser Hospital said that the rise of armed men was because of the presence of civilian police to protect patients and staff. They also added that MSF's claims were "factually incorrect, irresponsible, and pose a serious risk to a protected civilian medical facility."
One of Gaza’s few functioning hospitals
Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, a city in the south, treats hundreds of patients and war-wounded people every day. It was also a place where Palestinian captives were freed by Israel in return for Israeli hostages as part of the current ceasefire accord.
MSF added that its teams had seen "a pattern of unacceptable acts," such as armed individuals being present, patients being threatened, and people being arrested for no reason. There was also a recent case of suspicion of weapons moving. The suspension happened in January, but it was just made public recently.
Staff at Nasser Hospital said that masked, armed men and militias have attacked the hospital many times in the past few months. This is why it is so important to have an armed civilian police force there.
Hamas is still the most powerful group in parts of Gaza that Israel doesn't control, like the area where Nasser Hospital is located. But the fighting has led to the rise of other armed groups, including those supported by the Israeli army in the area of the strip that Israel controls.
Without giving any proof, Israel's military stated it received information that senior Hamas leaders are using Nasser Hospital as a base of operations and a military post. It said that MSF's move was "an important decision, but one that comes too late."
Israel has hit hospitals many times during the war, which started with Hamas's invasion on Israel on October 7, 2023. They say the militant group is operating in or around them. People have often witnessed Hamas security guards inside hospitals, keeping people from getting to particular places.
Some of the hostages who were freed from Gaza reported that during their time in captivity, they were in a hospital, notably Nasser Hospital.
11 Palestinians killed in strikes across Gaza
Hospital officials confirmed that Israeli gunfire killed at least 11 Palestinians in Gaza on Sunday.
According to Nasser Hospital, which got the bodies, five males in their 20s were killed in the eastern portion of Khan Younis. It added that the strike hit a group of individuals near the Yellow Line, which divides Israeli-controlled regions from the remainder of Gaza.
Rami Shaqra reported that his son al-Baraa was one of the militants who were protecting the area from possible attacks by Israeli soldiers or armed groups backed by Israel when they were hit. He alleged that an airstrike killed them.
Shaqra stated, "They were in the area they say is safe."
The Associated Press video from the morgue showed that at least two of the guys had headbands that showed they were members of the Qassam Brigades, which is the violent wing of Hamas.
Shifa Hospital says that a drone attack in northern Gaza hit a group of individuals in the Falluja neighborhood of the Jabaliya refugee camp and killed five people. The hospital says that a different drone attack killed a man in Gaza City.
Israel's military said it had carried out six strikes in response to many violations of the truce near the Yellow Line. These included terrorists trying to hide amid debris and others trying to cross the line while armed.
Hospital officials confirmed that Israeli gunfire killed at least 11 Palestinians in Gaza on Sunday.
According to Nasser Hospital, which got the bodies, five males in their 20s were killed in the eastern portion of Khan Younis. It added that the strike hit a group of individuals near the Yellow Line, which divides Israeli-controlled regions from the remainder of Gaza.
Rami Shaqra reported that his son al-Baraa was one of the militants who were protecting the area from possible attacks by Israeli soldiers or armed groups backed by Israel when they were hit. He alleged that an airstrike killed them.
Shaqra stated, "They were in the area they say is safe."
The Associated Press video from the morgue showed that at least two of the guys had headbands that showed they were members of the Qassam Brigades, which is the violent wing of Hamas.
Shifa Hospital says that a drone attack in northern Gaza hit a group of individuals in the Falluja neighborhood of the Jabaliya refugee camp and killed five people. The hospital says that a different drone attack killed a man in Gaza City.
Israel's military said it had carried out six strikes in response to many violations of the truce near the Yellow Line. These included terrorists trying to hide amid debris and others trying to cross the line while armed.
Hospital officials confirmed that Israeli gunfire killed at least 11 Palestinians in Gaza on Sunday.
According to Nasser Hospital, which got the bodies, five males in their 20s were killed in the eastern portion of Khan Younis. It added that the strike hit a group of individuals near the Yellow Line, which divides Israeli-controlled regions from the remainder of Gaza.
Rami Shaqra reported that his son al-Baraa was one of the militants who were protecting the area from possible attacks by Israeli soldiers or armed groups backed by Israel when they were hit. He alleged that an airstrike killed them.
Shaqra stated, "They were in the area they say is safe."
The Associated Press video from the morgue showed that at least two of the guys had headbands that showed they were members of the Qassam Brigades, which is the violent wing of Hamas.
Shifa Hospital says that a drone attack in northern Gaza hit a group of individuals in the Falluja neighborhood of the Jabaliya refugee camp and killed five people. The hospital says that a different drone attack killed a man in Gaza City.
Israel's military said it had carried out six strikes in response to many violations of the truce near the Yellow Line. These included terrorists trying to hide amid debris and others trying to cross the line while armed.
Two Israeli soldiers attacked by ultra-Orthodox Jews
Two Israeli women soldiers were saved from riots in the ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak in Israel. Police rushed two troops away from thousands of ultra-Orthodox men who were chasing after them and chanting.
A lot of people in Israel's ultra-Orthodox population are angry over regulations that would make them join the Israeli military. They hold rallies all the time.
The Israeli police reported that the soldiers were on a welfare visit but had not told the police about it. Police stated that at least 22 individuals were arrested after protestors set police motorbikes on fire, attacked officers, flung trash, and flipped over a police cruiser.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister, sharply condemned the attack on the soldiers but said that a "extremist minority" was to responsible for the violence.
About 1.3 million ultra-Orthodox Jews live in Israel, which is about 13% of the country's population. They don't want to join the military because they think their most essential responsibility is to study full-time in religious seminaries. The wide range of exemptions from mandatory military service has reopened a major division in the society and made a lot of people angry, especially during the conflict in Gaza.
