An Israeli drone strike on tents surrounding the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in central Gaza resulted in casualties on Sunday. The strike killed at least two people and wounded more than a dozen others, according to a hospital spokesperson. The hospital grounds are currently hosting thousands of displaced individuals, along with several journalist teams working from tents in the area. Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital is the sole operational medical facility in the central city of Deir al-Balah.
Videos shared by journalists captured the chaotic aftermath of the strike, showing people running for cover amidst flying debris. Some rushed to aid the injured and extinguish small fires that broke out in the area.
The Israeli military, in a statement, claimed that the drone strike targeted an 'operational Islamic Jihad command center and terrorists' operating from the hospital's courtyard. However, no evidence was provided to support this assertion. The Israel Defense Forces stated that the operation was planned to minimize harm to civilians and avoid damage to the main hospital building.
Journalist accounts described the strike as a direct hit on the journalists' tents, which were surrounded by tents housing displaced individuals seeking refuge at the hospital's emergency entrance. Witnesses emphasized that the displaced people were uninvolved civilians, including a teacher and a doctor who had no affiliation with any militant groups.
Footage captured by a CNN stringer depicted the destruction of journalists' tents and equipment. The video showed individuals inspecting the damaged tarp tents and salvaging belongings from the blood-stained wreckage.
