Israeli strike destroys al-Ahli Baptist hospital, Gaza's last facility in the north

Israeli warplanes bombed the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital (commonly known as the Baptist Hospital) early on Sunday, obliterating the last remaining medical facility in northern Gaza in what Gaza authorities have condemned as a war crime.

The airstrikes destroyed critical infrastructure, including the hospital’s emergency department, oxygen unit, and main entrance, according to eyewitnesses.

The bombing "completely destroyed" the facility and "forced the evacuation of patients and hospital staff," Gaza's health ministry said.

The air strike came "minutes after the army's warning to evacuate this building of patients, the injured and their companions", the Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza said in a statement on Sunday.

"The bombing led to the destruction of the surgery building and the oxygen generation station for the intensive care units," it added.

Video footage posted online shows the frantic evacuation of patients, including the wounded and critically ill, just moments before the bombing. One doctor reported that at least three patients - including a child - died during the panicked evacuation.

Hundreds of patients were left without access to medical care as Israel has already damaged or destroyed nearly all other hospitals in northern Gaza.

The World Health Organization and the UN have repeatedly warned that the deliberate targeting of medical facilities may constitute war crimes under international law.

The Israeli military claimed, without providing evidence, that the hospital was being used as a Hamas "command and control centre". This allegation echoes repeated Israeli claims used to justify strikes on civilian infrastructure - including schools, shelters, and hospitals - despite a consistent lack of evidence and subsequent reports showing many of these sites housed only displaced civilians.

The Gaza Media Office described the bombing as "a new horrific crime", saying it targeted hundreds of patients, doctors, and nurses who had nowhere else to go.

"We call on international institutions to protect Gaza’s healthcare system … and take immediate action to stop the continuing violations," the health ministry urged in a statement.

Since October 2023, Israel has systematically destroyed Gaza’s health infrastructure, wiping out 34 hospitals and leaving vast areas of the strip without access to emergency care.

The United Nations has warned of what it calls the "de-development" of Gaza’s healthcare system, a process it says appears deliberate.

The latest attack comes as the death toll from Israel’s 18-month war on Gaza surpasses 50,000, with more than 116,000 people wounded, according to the local health ministry.

Hamas team in Cairo for truce talks

Meanwhile, a Hamas team led by chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya arrived in Cairo on Saturday for crunch ceasefire talks with Egyptian and Qatari officials.

The Palestinian group expects "real progress" to be made at the meeting, during which Egypt’s latest truce proposal will be discussed.

Under the proposal, the two sides would agree to a ceasefire lasting between 40 and 70 days and exchange a number of prisoners, according to a report.

The meeting comes days after US President Donald Trump voiced optimism that a deal to was close.

Israeli media quoted US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff as saying that a “very serious deal” is only days away.

Hamas published a video on Saturday showing the US-Israeli prisoner Edan Alexander alive, raising the stakes ahead of the talks.

Settlers storm Al-Aqsa complex

Hundreds of Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa compound on Sunday morning in the latest in a series of provocations at the sensitive religious site.

Local news agency WAFA reported that almost 200 settlers entered the area under police protection in the morning, less than two weeks after extremist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stormed the compound.

This comes two days after Israeli authorities banned Al-Aqsa Mosque preacher Sheikh Muhammad Salim from entering the compound for a week after he criticised Israel’s war on Gaza.

Incursions by settlers into the Al-Aqsa complex have surged under the current far-right Israeli government.

Last year saw more than 53,600 Israelis enter the area, the highest number since police began allowing Jews entrance to the site more than 20 years ago.