Israeli Airstrike Damages Gaza's Last Functioning Hospital; Child Dies During Evacuation

An Israeli airstrike on Sunday heavily damaged the al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City, forcing the evacuation of patients and staff. The hospital, one of the last fully functional medical facilities in Gaza City, had its emergency and reception departments destroyed, along with surgery facilities and an oxygen generation station for intensive care units, according to Gaza's civil defense agency. The Israeli military stated that the hospital was targeted because it housed a command and control center used by Hamas, although no evidence was provided to support this claim. The World Health Organization reported that a child died due to the interruption of care during the evacuation. The attack exacerbates the already critical shortage of medical facilities in Gaza amid ongoing Israeli strikes.