Israeli Military Forces Evacuate Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital Amid Strikes

One of northern Gaza’s last operational hospitals, Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia, has been forcibly evacuated by Israeli forces, according to medical staff.

This comes after airstrikes reportedly killed dozens in the area surrounding the facility, including hospital workers and their families.

Eid Sabbah, head of nursing at Kamal Adwan Hospital, told the BBC that Israeli military personnel issued an evacuation order at 07:00 on Friday, giving hospital staff just 15 minutes to vacate patients and personnel into the courtyard. He described the situation as dire, with critically ill patients, including those in intensive care units, at grave risk during the evacuation.

“If the army intends to continue removing these patients, they will need specialized vehicles,” Sabbah said, emphasizing the dangers of moving patients dependent on ventilation machines.

The Israeli military stated it was conducting an operation in the area, which it referred to as a “Hamas terrorist stronghold,” and claimed to have facilitated a “secure evacuation of civilians, patients, and medical personnel” before commencing the operation. However, the military did not specify where the patients would be relocated.

Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the hospital’s director, reported that approximately 50 people, including five medical staff, were killed in a series of strikes near the hospital. He said Israeli airstrikes targeted a building opposite the facility, killing a pediatrician, a lab technician, and their families. A maintenance worker rushing to assist after the first strike was also killed, as were two paramedics hit by another strike 500 meters away from the hospital.

The Israeli military initially stated it was “unaware of strikes in the area” but said it was investigating reports of medical staff casualties.

The evacuation and strikes come amid a tightening Israeli blockade in northern Gaza, imposed since October as part of an offensive aimed at targeting Hamas positions. The United Nations has described the blockade as a “near-total siege,” with the remaining population of 10,000 to 15,000 in desperate need of humanitarian aid.

Hospital administrators have repeatedly issued pleas for protection, citing frequent shelling and bombing around the facility. International aid organizations, including Oxfam, have criticized the Israeli military for obstructing aid deliveries, calling the delays “deliberate and systematic.”

The forced evacuation of Kamal Adwan Hospital follows the earlier evacuation of the nearby Indonesian Hospital, leaving the region with dwindling access to healthcare for a population already under siege. Health professionals warn that critically ill patients face life-threatening risks as Israeli operations continue to escalate.

Humanitarian organizations and medical advocates have called for urgent intervention to ensure the safety of patients, medical personnel, and civilians trapped in northern Gaza.

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