2023-11-13 21:32:37
US President Joe Biden on Monday called on Israel to “protect” Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest in the Gaza Strip, at a time when violent battles continue between Israeli forces and Hamas fighters around this complex.
Biden told reporters in the Oval Office when asked whether he expressed his concern to Israel regarding this issue: “The hospital must be protected,” adding that he is “in contact with the Israelis” regarding this issue.
He explained that an agreement to “release the prisoners” was still being negotiated with the help of Qatar, according to what was reported by Agence France-Presse.
He added that he hopes that no measures will be taken to storm Al-Shifa Hospital.
Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip, has been suffering from water and electricity outages for days, and those stuck there hope to leave it, but fighting is raging in its vicinity.
Other hospitals face the same situation, while the Israeli army says that the hospitals include strategic infrastructure for Hamas, which it accuses of using Gazans as “human shields,” despite its denials.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that the death toll in Al-Shifa Hospital due to the power outage since Saturday had risen to 34, including 27 patients in intensive care and 7 premature infants.
On October 7, Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel that killed nearly 1,200 people, most of whom were civilians who died on the first day of the attack, according to the latest figures from the Israeli authorities.
The Israeli army estimates that regarding 240 people were taken hostage into the Gaza Strip following the attack, including at least 30 children, according to Israeli media.
For 38 days, Israel has responded with intense bombardment on the Gaza Strip, which has caused, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, 11,240 Palestinian deaths, according to its latest toll on Monday.
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