Israel strikes Gaza hospital ‘for fifth time’, hundreds of patients evacuated

Two Israeli missiles hit a building inside a main Gaza hospital on Sunday, destroying the emergency and reception department and damaging other structures, doctors said, in a strike which Israel said was against Hamas fighters exploiting the facility.

Health officials at the Al-Ahli Arab Baptist Hospital evacuated the patients from the building after one person said he received a call from someone who identified himself with the Israeli security shortly before the attack took place.

No casualties were reported, according to the civil emergency service.

The Israeli military said in a statement it had taken steps to reduce harm to civilians before it struck the compound, which was being used by Hamas militants to plan attacks.

The hospital, an institution of the Anglican Church, was a major medical facility in Gaza City, according to the Gaza health ministry, which is now out of operation because of the attack.

“Hundreds of patients and injured people had to be evacuated in the middle of the night, and many of them are now out in the streets without medical care, which puts their lives at risk,” Khalil Al-Deqran, the ministry’s spokesperson, told Reuters.