Israeli airstrike destroys medical warehouses near hospital in central Gaza

Israeli airstrikes targeted medical warehouses adjacent to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, resulting in significant destruction of supplies and damage to nearby facilities and tents. This incident highlights the ongoing strain on Gaza's health system amid the conflict. Witnesses and officials described the immediate panic and long-term implications for patient care.

The Airstrike on the Medical Warehouses

Israeli fighter jets struck medical warehouses near a hospital in the central Gaza Strip early Saturday, destroying at least half of the facilities and extensively damaging nearby tents sheltering displaced Palestinians, witnesses said. Witnesses told Anadolu that the Israeli army targeted the warehouses next to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, completely destroying two of them and the critical medical supplies within and setting fire to dozens of tents erected nearby. The attack caused fear and panic among patients, displaced people, and residents in the vicinity of the hospital, they added. There were no immediate reports of casualties. According to the witnesses, the Israeli army issued an evacuation warning for the area only minutes before the strike.

The strike on warehouses adjacent to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital forms part of a broader pattern of targeting infrastructure in central Gaza amid the ongoing conflict and Israel's longstanding blockade, which has long restricted construction materials and supplies. Witnesses described Israeli fighter jets hitting the site early Saturday, destroying two of the four warehouses completely and igniting dozens of nearby tents sheltering displaced Palestinians. The attack followed an evacuation warning issued only minutes prior, leaving residents with little time to respond and generating immediate fear among patients and staff.

Data from the incident shows at least half the facilities erased, with critical medical supplies lost and surrounding areas damaged. No casualties were reported immediately, yet the timing and proximity to the hospital amplified panic. Regional reactions have centered on accusations of systematic pressure on civilian sites, while international calls from humanitarian bodies emphasize the need to safeguard medical areas under established conventions.

Forward-looking analysis indicates continued strain on access to care, as repeated strikes risk further eroding remaining capacity and heighten uncertainty for displaced communities seeking safety without a ceasefire in place.

Destruction at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital

The strike also severely damaged the hospital's adjacent outpatient clinic building and destroyed vital quantities of medical consumables and supplies directly linked to saving patients' lives. The attack damaged the hospital wall and surrounding buildings and left a crater more than 20 meters deep. The warehouse was a temporary structure built from metal sheets because construction materials were unavailable due to Israel's blockade and restrictions on their entry into Gaza. All the medicines and medical supplies stored inside the warehouse had been destroyed.

Destruction at the hospital site reflects the cumulative effects of the blockade, which forced the use of temporary metal-sheet structures for storage due to entry restrictions on building materials. The strike severely damaged the adjacent outpatient clinic, created a crater exceeding 20 meters in depth, and obliterated vital medical consumables essential for patient treatment. This occurred alongside harm to surrounding buildings and the hospital wall.

Available figures indicate around 50 percent of Gaza's overall health sector operating capacity already out of service from prior destruction and shortages. The loss of supplies stored in the warehouses compounds these pressures, directly affecting life-saving resources in a facility already operating under constraints.

International reactions have highlighted violations of protections for medical sites, with calls for intervention from global organizations. Regionally, the incident underscores ongoing challenges to health infrastructure. Forward analysis points to heightened risks for service continuity, as the blockade persists and further attacks could eliminate remaining stocks needed for ongoing patient care.

The Gaza Health Ministry's Response

The Gaza Health Ministry condemned what it called a direct and systematic Israeli attack on the warehouses. The destructive force of the missiles used completely erased two of the four warehouses at the targeted site and caused extensive damage to the other two. The early morning attack caused widespread panic among patients, their companions, and medical personnel. The ministry accused Israel of continuing to destroy what remains of Gaza's health system while restricting the entry of medicines and medical supplies and preventing thousands of patients and injured people from traveling abroad for treatment. The ministry called on the international community and UN, human rights, and humanitarian groups to intervene immediately, halt Israeli attacks, and protect medical facilities and personnel.

The Gaza Health Ministry framed the attack as a direct assault on remaining health infrastructure, noting the missiles erased two warehouses and damaged the other two while restricting medicine inflows and blocking patient travel for treatment abroad. This response aligns with documented patterns of facility targeting since the war began, where shortages have already sidelined half the sector's capacity.

Statistics cited include the complete loss of stored medicines and consumables, alongside widespread panic among patients, companions, and personnel. The ministry urged immediate action from the international community, UN agencies, and humanitarian groups to halt strikes and enforce protections.

Regional reactions echo concerns over systematic erosion of services, while international observers have referenced Geneva Conventions obligations. Forward-looking analysis suggests that without intervention, the combination of restricted access and repeated strikes will intensify threats to injured and ill individuals, potentially leading to preventable losses in an already diminished system.

The Hospital Spokesperson's Account

Hospital spokesperson Khalil al-Daqran told Anadolu that the attack destroyed a warehouse containing medicines and medical consumables belonging to the hospital. The bombing caused the loss of quantities of intravenous solutions, medicines, and supplies used in vital departments, including dialysis and intensive care. Al-Daqran warned that the destruction would have serious consequences for health services, particularly amid severe shortages of medicines and medical consumables. While no financial estimate of the losses was immediately available, al-Daqran said all the medicines and medical supplies stored inside the warehouse had been destroyed. He described the attack as part of a policy targeting the health system in the Gaza Strip and warned that the loss of the supplies threatened patients' lives. Targeting health facilities contravenes the rules of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions, which stipulate the protection of medical facilities during conflicts, he said.

Hospital spokesperson Khalil al-Daqran detailed the destruction of a warehouse holding medicines and consumables, including intravenous solutions and items for dialysis and intensive care units. This loss threatens services amid existing shortages, forming part of a policy aimed at Gaza's health system and breaching international humanitarian law requirements to protect medical facilities.

Data referenced shows all supplies inside the targeted structure destroyed, with no immediate financial assessment available. The attack also impacted the outpatient clinic and created extensive surrounding damage, including a deep crater.

Reactions from the spokesperson align with ministry appeals for global protection of sites. Regionally, such incidents fuel narratives of deliberate infrastructure degradation. Forward analysis indicates escalating consequences for patient outcomes, as depleted stocks and ongoing restrictions could force further service reductions without external enforcement of safeguards during the conflict.

Testimony of Displaced Residents

Umm Mohammed Wadi, a displaced woman who has lived in a camp beside the hospital since the war began, said residents were asleep when they heard calls ordering them to evacuate immediately. "I started screaming to wake people up after hearing the warning. We rushed out carrying our children, and only minutes later the strike occurred and the tents were completely destroyed," she told Anadolu while looking at what remains of her tent. "Only medicines buried beneath the rubble remain, while medical supplies were scattered across the area by the force of the explosion," she said. Wadi said children in the camp live in constant fear and wake at night to the sound of attacks and evacuation warnings, while older people and patients struggle to flee. "This is the 13th time my children and I have survived since the war began. Every time, we lose our tents and start again," she added. The displaced residents remained outdoors until dawn after evacuating the camp, uncertain where they could go, she said. "All we want is to live safely like the rest of the world's people," Wadi said. "Where should we go? There is no ceasefire. Every day, young people are killed, and children, women and older people die."

The State of Gaza's Health System

Around 50 percent of Gaza's health sector operating capacity has been put out of service due to the destruction of facilities and persistent shortages of medicines and medical supplies, al-Daqran added. The ministry noted that the attack formed part of ongoing efforts to destroy remaining health infrastructure while access to medicines and medical supplies remains restricted. International humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions require protection of medical facilities during conflicts, yet the strike on warehouses adjacent to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital illustrates continued pressure on an already strained system.

What This Means for Palestinians in Gaza

The loss of critical medical supplies threatens patients' lives in departments that rely on intravenous solutions, dialysis equipment, and intensive care resources. Displaced families living in tent camps beside the hospital face repeated displacement, with children experiencing ongoing fear from nighttime warnings and explosions. Residents described the uncertainty of finding safety after each evacuation, as the attack left tents destroyed and supplies scattered. The incident underscores the daily challenges for patients, medical staff, and displaced communities who must navigate shortages and repeated strikes on facilities meant to provide care. Calls from the ministry and hospital staff emphasize the need for immediate protection of remaining health services to prevent further loss of life.

This article was produced with AI-assisted research and editorial support. Reporting is based on sources cited in the article.