Israel strikes ambulance outside Gaza hospital it says was being used by Hamas

The Israeli military has confirmed one of its aircraft struck an ambulance convoy outside Gaza’s main hospital, claiming it ‘was identified by forces as being used by a Hamas terrorist cell’.

But the enclave’s Hamas-run health ministry said it was waiting to leave al-Shifa Hospital evacuating critically-ill Palestinians from besieged Gaza City to the south.

Spokesperson Ashraf al-Qidra did not give a figure but said ‘a big number’ of people were killed.

Graphic footage shared on social media showed people lying in blood next to an ambulance with flashing lights on a city street as people rushed to help.

Another video showed three ambulances standing in a line, with about a dozen people lying either motionless or barely moving next to them. Blood was pooled nearby.

World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a social media post he was ‘utterly shocked by reports of attacks on ambulances evacuating patients’, adding that patients, health workers and medical facilities must be protected.

But the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) claimed Hamas fighters use ambulances to ‘transfer terror operatives and weapons’ and called on civilians to leave the area which is now a ‘war zone’.

Hamas official Izzat El Reshiq said allegations its fighters were present were ‘baseless’.

The IDF gave no evidence to support its assertion that the ambulance was linked to Hamas but said in a statement it intended to release additional information.

Despite its order for civilians to leave northern areas of Gaza, Israel’s military has continued to bombard the south of the strip as well.

In a separate incident in Gaza City late on Friday, Gaza health officials said several Palestinians were killed and wounded in an Israeli strike on a school where hundreds of people were taking shelter.

Gaza health officials did not say if there were injuries or fatalities. The Israeli military did not immediately provide comment on the incident.

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