Daijiworld Media Network - Gaza
Gaza, May 23: Israeli tanks and drones struck Al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza overnight, causing extensive damage and fires, according to Palestinian health officials. Video footage from the site shows walls blown away and black smoke engulfing the facility.
The Israeli military claimed operations were conducted ‘adjacent’ to the hospital and that emergency responders were permitted to access the site, but the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The incident comes as international pressure on Israel intensifies over its Gaza blockade, recently lifted after nearly three months. UN officials say only a fraction of the aid 90 out of nearly 200 trucks has been distributed, warning it’s far from sufficient for Gaza’s 2.1 million people. “Nowhere near enough to meet the scale and scope of the crisis,” said UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.
Over the past 24 hours, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported more than 100 people killed and 250 wounded across the territory. It remains unclear if there were casualties at Al-Awda.
Regional tensions escalate
In a related development, Israel said early Friday it intercepted a missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, with booms heard in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, Israel launched widespread strikes in southern Lebanon — including on a Hezbollah-linked building in Toul — described as the most intense since the November ceasefire.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the strikes, saying they wouldn’t deter municipal elections set for this weekend.
Political shake-up and diplomacy
Amid the conflict, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu appointed Maj. Gen. David Zini as the new head of Shin Bet, replacing Ronen Bar, who is set to resign in June. Zini had previously warned of vulnerabilities along the Gaza border.
In Washington, President Donald Trump spoke with Netanyahu about a recent shooting at the Israeli embassy and potential talks with Iran over its nuclear program. Trump’s envoy is expected to meet Iranian officials in Italy soon.
Former PM Olmert calls for Trump intervention
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said only President Trump could pressure Netanyahu to end the war in Gaza. ‘Enough is enough,’ he said, warning that the military campaign risks committing ‘crimes’ if there’s no achievable outcome.
Hospitals in the crosshairs
The repeated targeting of hospitals has drawn sharp international criticism. Israel accuses Hamas of using medical facilities for military cover, while Palestinians and rights groups say Israel is dismantling Gaza’s health system to pressure its people into submission.
International law grants hospitals protection during war, but this can be revoked if used for military purposes a claim that remains contested in the ongoing conflict.