Israeli Forces Intensify Gaza Offensive, Destroy Only Cancer Hospital

Israeli forces pressed deeper into the Gaza Strip on Friday, demolishing the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, the territory’s sole specialized cancer treatment center. The attack, part of a renewed offensive following the collapse of a ceasefire with Hamas, drew sharp international condemnation as Israel vowed to seize more land until the militant group releases its remaining hostages.

The hospital, located in the Netzarim Corridor—a strategic strip bisecting Gaza—was a lifeline for thousands of cancer patients. Israel claimed it struck the facility because Hamas was using it as a base, though Turkey, which funded its construction, countered that Israeli troops had occupied it during the 17-month war. Dr. Zaki Al-Zaqzouq, the hospital’s oncology chief, said a recent inspection during the ceasefire revealed salvageable infrastructure. “Bombing it defies comprehension,” he told Medical Aid for Palestinians. Turkey’s Foreign Ministry accused Israel of deliberately making Gaza “uninhabitable” and displacing its people.

The escalation follows Israel’s termination of a truce that had held since January, freeing over two dozen hostages. Defence Minister Israel Katz warned of intensified operations until Hamas releases the 59 hostages it still holds, 24 believed alive. On Friday, the military targeted three Gaza City neighborhoods, urging evacuations via social media after intercepting rockets from the north. Troops advanced on Beit Lahiya and Rafah, blocking access to northern Gaza as displaced residents fled with belongings on carts. A strike east of Gaza City killed six, including four children, deepening the civilian toll.

Since Tuesday’s airstrikes shattered the ceasefire, around 600 Palestinians have died, adding to a war that has claimed over 49,000 lives, per Gaza’s Health Ministry. Israel’s campaign, launched after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack killed 1,200 and took 251 hostages, has devastated Gaza’s healthcare system, with human rights groups alleging systematic destruction. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces domestic unrest over his bid to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, a move critics call a power grab amid fallout from the 2023 attack.