Israeli strikes kill 120 Palestinians in Gaza over 48 hours

Israeli military strikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 120 Palestinians over the last 48 hours and hit a hospital on the northern edge of the enclave, wounding medical staff and damaging equipment, Palestinian medics said on Saturday.

Among the dead were seven members of one family whose house was hit overnight in the Zeitoun suburb of Gaza City, the health officials said. The rest were killed in separate Israeli strikes in central and southern Gaza.

At the same time, Israeli forces deepened their incursion and bombardment of the northern edge of the enclave, their main offensive since early last month.

Israel began its offensive and siege on northern Gaza in early October, massacring hundreds under the ‘General’s Plan’, which broadly sets out to ethnically cleanse the area of its Palestinian residents, and designates Palestinian remaining there as ‘Hamas fighters’ – subjecting them to attacks.

At Kamal Adwan Hospital, one of three medical facilities on the northern edge of Gaza that is barely operational, director Hussam Abu Safiya said the ongoing Israeli bombardment appeared aimed at forcing hospital staff to evacuate – something they have refused since the incursion began.

“Yesterday (Friday), from the afternoon until midnight, the bombardment directly targeted the entrance to the emergency and reception area several times,” he said in a statement, adding that 12 staff members including doctors and nurses were injured.

The strike also caused significant damage that disrupted the electrical generator, oxygen supply network and water supply, he added.

Asked to comment on Abu Safiya’s statement, the Israeli military said that following an initial review it was “not aware of a strike in the area of the Kamal Adwan Hospital”.

“The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) is doing everything possible to avoid causing harm to civilians,” it added.

Israel’s 13-month campaign in Gaza has killed more than 44,000 people and displaced nearly all the enclave’s population at least once, according to Gaza officials.

Months of attempts to negotiate a ceasefire have yielded scant progress and negotiations are now on hold, with mediator Qatar having suspended its efforts until the sides are prepared to make concessions.

Hamas wants a deal that ends the war, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the war can end only once Hamas is eradicated.