Israeli strikes in Gaza kill two and destroy Al-Aqsa Hospital medical supply warehouses

Israeli drone and airstrikes killed at least two people in the Gaza Strip on Saturday while inflicting severe damage on vital healthcare storage facilities.

The latest military operations destroyed crucial medical supply warehouses at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir el-Balah and triggered panic among displaced civilians sheltering nearby.

How did Saturday's Israeli strikes hit Gaza's healthcare infrastructure?

In the early morning hours, an Israeli airstrike hit a storage facility belonging to Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir el-Balah, leaving a crater over 20 meters deep. Two of the four warehouses were completely obliterated while the remaining two sustained extensive structural damage. The blast also caused severe damage to an adjacent outpatient clinic building and set fire to nearby civilian tents.

The destroyed facilities contained essential medical consumables, including dialysis solutions, wound-care gauze, and critical medicines needed for emergency treatments. Hospital spokesperson Khalil al-Daqran condemned the attack, stating that losing these supplies directly threatens the lives of vulnerable patients in central Gaza. Displaced Palestinians sheltering near the hospital grounds were forced to flee at dawn as shrapnel and debris littered the area.

"Vital quantities of medical consumables and supplies intended for the care of patients and the wounded were lost or destroyed."
— Palestinian Health Ministry

In separate strikes on Saturday morning, an Israeli drone targeted the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City, killing one person and injuring several others who were brought to Al-Shifa Hospital.

A second drone strike in central Gaza killed another individual. The Israeli military stated it was aware of the targeted strikes against Hamas military operatives and was reviewing the outcomes. Regional health officials condemned the targeted strikes as a war crime violating international protections for medical infrastructure.

What is the status of ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas?

The attacks occurred just a day after Hamas announced its willingness to accept a peace agreement to end the war, which includes provisions for handing over weapons and a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip. Hamas political bureau member Bassem Naim urged international mediators to pressure Israel into halting continued violations and enforcing the peace parameters.

However, Israeli political leadership has maintained a firm stance, with officials indicating that no troop withdrawal will occur without the complete, verified disarmament of Hamas.

U.S. President Donald Trump has pushed for the implementation of a comprehensive roadmap, but internal political friction within the Israeli cabinet continues to complicate a formal cessation of hostilities. Displaced civilians in Gaza expressed doubt that fighting would cease without decisive diplomatic pressure from Washington.