Israeli Airstrikes injure 21 in Al Quds Hospital, PCRS Ambulance Hit at Al-Shifa Hospital

The Gaza Strip remains under siege for the 27th consecutive day as of Friday, 3 November with continued Israeli ground operations and bombings in northern Gaza, which have led to the death of at least 9,257 civilians since 7 October.

Update 12: An Israeli airstrike hit the gate of Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza, Al Jazeera English reported on 3 November. The Palestinian Red Crescent (PCRS) said its ambulance was targeted.

“Our colleagues were saved by a miracle,” PCRS added in a tweet.

Update 11: Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar told Irish media that Israel’s military campaign against Hamas following the 7 October attack “resembles something more approaching revenge.” 

Varadkar said he strongly believed that Israel has a right to defend itself and “go after Hamas,” but that what it is doing right now will not guarantee “its future freedom and security.”

Update 10: The families of nine Israeli victims of last month’s Hamas attacks have submitted a complaint to the International Criminal Court (ICC) alleging suspected war crimes. 

They are also seeking the prosecution of Hamas for genocide and the issuance of an international arrest warrant for its leaders, as stated by lawyer Francois Zimeray on 3 November.

Update 9: Israeli airstrikes in the Tal Al Hawa neighborhood of Gaza City have caused injuries to at least 21 people at Al Quds Hospital, as reported by the Palestine Red Crescent Society on Friday, 3 November.

This incident follows two consecutive days of Israeli airstrikes in close proximity to the enclave’s second-largest hospital, which is currently providing shelter for around 14,000 displaced individuals, according to doctors on the scene.

Update 8: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Israel in an effort to balance his country’s support to the IDF with the concern for the rising number of civilian casualties.

Blinken will hold meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other high-ranking officials.

In his statements before departing Washington D.C., Blinken mentioned his intent to discuss the ongoing military campaign against Hamas and the necessary measures needed to protect civilians.

Update 7: Israel is cutting all contact with Gaza, announcing today that Gazan workers will be returned to the enclave.

“There will be no more Palestinian workers from Gaza [in Israel]. Those workers from Gaza who were in Israel on the day of the outbreak of the war will be returned to Gaza,” the Israeli prime minister’s office has said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Update 6: Thirteen Democratic senators have called for a temporary cessation of hostilities in Gaza, particularly when such hostilities put civilians, aid workers, or humanitarian aid delivery at high risk.

While emphasizing Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas, the senators have also stressed the importance of minimizing harm to civilians and allowing humanitarian aid to reach those who are in need.

Update 5: The House of Representatives passed a USD 14.5 billion military aid package for Israel as a response to the conflict with Hamas. This move, led by new Speaker Mike Johnson, took a partisan approach by requiring that the emergency aid be balanced with cuts in government spending elsewhere.

This decision created a divide between Democrats and Republicans, contrary to the usual bipartisan support of Israel. President Joe Biden has stated his intention to veto the bill.

Update 4: A doctor at Gaza City’s Al-Shifa hospital has issued a dire warning, stating that the hospital is on the brink of becoming a “mass grave” due to the impending fuel shortage.

Several medical facilities in Gaza are at risk of shutting down if no fuel is provided to maintain the power supply.

Update 3: Heavy airstrikes hit the Jabalia Refugee Camp on Wednesday, 1 November, “for the second day in a row and within less than 24 hours”. According to OCHA, the attacks destroyed multiple residential buildings and killed “dozens”. The UN human rights office OHCHR is concerned as these “disproportionate” attacks could amount to “war crimes”.

Update 2: Due to Israeli ground operations and confrontations with Palestinian armed groups, Gaza City and northern Gaza have experienced significant isolation from the rest of the strip.

Update 1: Gaza’s primary cancer treatment facility, the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, has run out of fuel, leading to the suspension of most of its services. This dire situation has put the lives of around 70 seriously ill patients at risk.

The Conflict So Far

After a surprise attack conducted on 7 October by Hamas on a number of southern Israeli towns which resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1,405 people and more than 220 being taken hostage by Hamas, Israel launched a retaliatory bombing campaign against what it describes as ‘terrorist targets’ in the Gaza Strip.

At least 9,257 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip — including 3,826 children — and over 23,516 others injured. Meanwhile over 144 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and around 2,200 have been injured.

The priority of the Egyptian government since the beginning of the conflict has been deescalation and the securing of a path for aid to enter the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing. Israel bombed the crossing at least six times, and 80 aid trucks have crossed to Gaza so far, which UN officials warn is insufficient amid dire humanitarian conditions.

Most Western countries, with the United States at the forefront, have expressed unconditional support for Israel, despite the steadily rising death toll in Gaza. Meanwhile, the United Nations General Assembly has issued a resolution calling for a ceasefire.