Israel-Hamas war: Latest news on Gaza hospital strikes and invasion

The crisis at Gaza’s two biggest hospitals escalated Monday amid a standoff between Israel’s military and Hamas militants whom it maintains are taking cover in buildings designated for civilian purposes. Gaza’s largest hospital, al-Shifa, “is not functioning as a hospital anymore,” The World Health Organization’s director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said after the building was cut off from power, water and medicine amid bombardment in the area. The hospital is surrounded by Israeli troops and at least 32 people — including three children from the intensive care unit — have died in the past three days, a Gaza health official said. The enclave’s second-largest hospital, al-Quds in Gaza City, is also out of service because of power outages and fuel shortages, the Palestine Red Crescent Society said, adding that it is unable to evacuate the 300 remaining patients and medical employees due to Israeli bombardments and gunfire. Israel said Monday its forces killed 21 militants in the area of al-Quds Hospital, accusing militants of blending in with civilians attempting to escape the hospital and firing an RPG and antitank weapon from its entrance. The Washington Post could not independently verify the claims.