## Summary of Al Jazeera English News Report: Israeli Strikes Near Gaza Hospitals This report from **Al Jazeera English**, published on **September 18, 2025**, details a new wave of Israeli attacks in Gaza, with a significant focus on strikes near hospitals and the escalating civilian toll. The report highlights the dire humanitarian situation and the alleged systematic dismantling of Gaza's health sector. ### Key Findings and Conclusions: * **Deadly Strikes Near Hospitals:** Israeli forces conducted strikes in areas surrounding al-Shifa and al-Ahli hospitals, two of the few remaining functioning medical facilities in Gaza. * At least **15 people were killed** outside al-Shifa hospital. * An additional **four people were killed** in a separate attack near al-Ahli hospital. * **Mounting Civilian Toll:** On Thursday, **83 Palestinians were killed** by Israeli forces, according to medical officials. * **61 of these deaths** were recorded in Gaza City, where Israel is continuing its ground offensive. * **"Full-Fledged War Crime" and "Genocide":** Hamas condemned the assaults as a "full-fledged war crime" and a "blatant message of defiance and blatant contempt for the international community." This condemnation comes shortly after a new UN report documented Israel's alleged commission of the "crime of genocide." * **Impact on Healthcare Facilities:** * The **al-Rantisi children's hospital** was struck three times, forcing **40 patients to flee**. Another **40 patients remained trapped** inside with staff. The UK's Middle East minister, Hamish Falconer, expressed horror at the bombardment of this hospital, stating, "Babies in incubators and children on dialysis should not be under bombardment." * The UN report also highlighted Israel's destruction of the **Al Basma IVF centre**, which reportedly obliterated **4,000 embryos and 1,000 sperm and egg samples**. The UN described this as "a measure intended to prevent births among Palestinians in Gaza," an act defined as genocide under the 1948 convention. * The UN describes these patterns as a systematic campaign to dismantle Gaza's health sector, a phenomenon they term "**medicide**" – the killing of health workers and destruction of hospitals to eliminate medical care. * **"Medicide" and Loss of Life:** * **Hussein Alnajjar**, a nurse and father of three working with Doctors Without Borders (MSF) clinics, died of shrapnel wounds after an Israeli strike near his tent. He had been working with MSF since early 2024. * **Destruction in Gaza City:** Residents describe bombardment on an "unprecedented scale," with tanks, jets, and naval boats flattening homes. The UN Human Rights Office has denounced Israel's "wanton destruction" as "tantamount to ethnic cleansing." * Among the dead were a child and his mother, killed when their apartment in the **Shati refugee camp** was bombed. * **"Safe Zones" Under Attack:** Israel designated **al-Mawasi in southern Gaza** as a "safe zone," but it has also come under attack. Health officials warn the area lacks "basic necessities of life, including water, food [and] health services," and disease is spreading in overcrowded camps. * **Displacement and Return:** Families face "direct targeting and killing both inside the camps and when attempting to leave them." Despite the dangers, hundreds of thousands have attempted to return north, only to find their homes destroyed. * **Booby-Trapped Vehicles:** The **Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor** reported Israeli forces detonated **10 booby-trapped armored vehicles** in the **Tal al-Hawa neighbourhood**. * **Deepening Famine and Blocked Aid:** The UN's humanitarian office (OCHA) has warned that famine in northern Gaza is deepening. Aid convoys to the north have been cut off since the **Zikim crossing was closed on September 12**. * **Overall Casualties:** Since October 2023, Israel's war on Gaza has resulted in the deaths of at least **65,062 Palestinians** and **165,697 wounded**, according to the Health Ministry. Thousands more are believed to be buried under rubble. ### Key Statistics and Metrics: * **15+ killed** outside al-Shifa hospital. * **4 killed** near al-Ahli hospital. * **83 Palestinians killed** by Israeli forces on Thursday. * **61 deaths** recorded in Gaza City on Thursday. * **40 patients fled** al-Rantisi hospital. * **40 patients trapped** inside al-Rantisi hospital. * **4,000 embryos destroyed** at Al Basma IVF centre. * **1,000 sperm and egg samples destroyed** at Al Basma IVF centre. * **10 booby-trapped armored vehicles detonated** in Tal al-Hawa. * **65,062 Palestinians killed** since October 2023. * **165,697 Palestinians wounded** since October 2023. ### Notable Risks and Concerns: * The continued targeting of areas near functioning hospitals poses a severe threat to the sick, wounded, and starving. * The systematic dismantling of Gaza's health sector ("medicide") is a major concern, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. * The lack of basic necessities and the spread of disease in overcrowded "safe zones" present significant health risks. * The closure of the Zikim crossing has led to a deepening famine in northern Gaza due to blocked aid convoys. * The ongoing bombardment and destruction of homes and infrastructure contribute to widespread displacement and despair. ### News Metadata: * **Title:** Israeli strikes kill 19 Palestinians near Gaza’s last functioning hospitals * **Publisher:** Al Jazeera English * **Author:** Caolán Magee * **Published Date:** September 18, 2025 * **Reported Date:** Thursday, September 17, 2025 (implied by "on Thursday") * **URL:** https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/17/israel-strikes-kill-palestinians-near-gazas-last-functioning-hospitals * **Keywords:** News, Crimes Against Humanity, Gaza, Genocide, Hamas, Health, Human Rights, Humanitarian Crises, Hunger, Israel-Palestine conflict, United Nations, Israel, Middle East, Palestine.
Israeli strikes kill 19 Palestinians near Gaza’s last functioning hospitals
Read original at Al Jazeera English →Israeli forces kill at least 15 people outside al-Shifa hospital in Gaza, four more killed near al-Ahli hospital.Israeli forces have unleashed a new wave of attacks on Gaza, striking areas near some of the few hospitals still functioning, while their ground assault on Gaza City leaves a mounting civilian toll.
At least 83 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces on Thursday, medical officials told Al Jazeera.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Families sue Boeing, Honeywell over June Air India crashlist 2 of 4US firing frenzy in wake of Charlie Kirk killing sparks free speech debatelist 3 of 4UCL: Liverpool leave it late yet again; title holders PSG dominate Atalantalist 4 of 4Three US police officers killed, two injured, in Pennsylvania shootingend of listMissiles struck areas around al-Shifa and al-Ahli hospitals, disrupting some of the last fragile lifelines left for the starving, sick and wounded.
At least 15 people were killed outside al-Shifa, while four more died in a separate attack near al-Ahli.Hamas condemned the assaults as a “full-fledged war crime”, noting they came “less than 24 hours after the release of a new UN report documenting the occupation’s commission of the crime of genocide against our people”.
The group said the strikes amounted to “a blatant message of defiance and blatant contempt for the international community”.The UK’s Middle East minister, Hamish Falconer, said he was “horrified” by the overnight bombardment of another hospital, al-Rantisi, which tends to injured children in Gaza. “Babies in incubators and children on dialysis should not be under bombardment,” he posted on social media.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said the children’s hospital was struck three times, forcing 40 patients to flee. Another 40 remained trapped inside with staff.‘Medicide’Doctors Without Borders (MSF), meanwhile, mourned the death of one of its own. Hussein Alnajjar, a nurse and father of three, died of shrapnel wounds after an Israeli strike near his tent.
He had been working with MSF clinics in Deir el-Balah and Khan Younis since early 2024.The United Nations inquiry published earlier this week that declared Israel’s actions in Gaza a genocide also highlighted Israel’s destruction of the Al Basma IVF centre – which obliterated 4,000 embryos and 1,000 sperm and egg samples, calling it “a measure intended to prevent births among Palestinians in Gaza”, and one of the acts defined as genocide under the 1948 convention.
The UN say such patterns are a systematic campaign to dismantle Gaza’s health sector, which they describe as “medicide” – the killing of health workers and destruction of hospitals to wipe out medical care in the enclave.Assault on Gaza CityOf Thursday’s 83 reported deaths, 61 were recorded in Gaza City, where Israel is pressing ahead with its ground offensive after approving a plan in August to seize the city.
Residents describe bombardment on an unprecedented scale, with tanks, jets and naval boats flattening homes. Earlier this week, the UN Human Rights Office denounced Israel’s “wanton destruction” as “tantamount to ethnic cleansing”.Among the dead were a child and his mother, killed when their apartment in the Shati refugee camp was bombed.
“The future feels destroyed – no one knows what to do,” displaced resident Abed Alaleem Wahdan told Al Jazeera. “The bombing is everywhere, even in the south.”Israel has designated al-Mawasi in southern Gaza a “safe zone”, but it too has come under attack. Health officials warn the area lacks “basic necessities of life, including water, food [and] health services,” and disease is spreading in overcrowded camps.
Families face “direct targeting and killing both inside the camps and when attempting to leave them”, the Health Ministry has said.Despite the danger, hundreds of thousands have risked returning north, only to find their homes reduced to rubble. The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor reported Israeli forces detonated 10 booby-trapped armoured vehicles in the Tal al-Hawa neighbourhood.
The UN’s humanitarian office (OCHA) has warned that famine in northern Gaza is deepening, with aid convoys to the north cut off since the Zikim crossing was closed on September 12.Since October 2023, Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 65,062 Palestinians and wounded 165,697, according to the Health Ministry.
Thousands more remain buried beneath the rubble.
