The health ministry in Gaza, which is run by Hamas, said Monday (20/11) that 200 patients were evacuated from a hospital with the help of the Red Cross, just hours after the hospital was hit by a deadly Israeli attack.
Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told AFP that 200 people were evacuated from the Indonesian hospital in Jabaliya and taken by bus to Nasser hospital in the city of Khan Younis, in southern Gaza. “The Israeli army surrounded the Indonesian hospital,” he said.
“We are worried that the same thing will happen there as happened in Al-Shifa,” he added, referring to the largest hospital in Gaza which Israeli forces have been searching since last Wednesday (15/11).
The evacuation process of the 140-bed hospital adjacent to the Jabaliya refugee camp was carried out in coordination with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), he said. The evacuation was carried out on conditions set by doctors after Israel attacked an ambulance in northern Gaza, which it claimed was being used by Hamas militants.
“There are still 400 patients in hospital and we are working with the ICRC to evacuate them,” he said, pointing out that “around 2,000 evacuees” were in and around the hospital.
Earlier, the Hamas government reported that dozens of tanks and armored vehicles were deployed around the outskirts of the hospital and opened fire towards the facility.
An AFP journalist in Khan Younis saw two buses arriving at Nasser hospital accompanied by the Red Cross.
On Monday morning, Qudra said an Israeli attack on a hospital had killed 12 people, including patients and their colleagues, and wounded dozens more. (rd/es)
