Israel strikes tents near hospitals in Gaza, killing and wounding
reporters
[April 07, 2025]
By WAFAA SHURAFA and SAMY MAGDY
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel struck tents outside two major
hospitals in the Gaza Strip overnight, killing at least two people,
including a local reporter, and wounding another nine, including six
reporters, medics said Monday.
Fifteen other people were killed in separate strikes across the
territory, according to hospitals.
Israel has carried out waves of strikes across Gaza and ground forces
have carved out new military zones since it ended its ceasefire with
Hamas last month. Israel has barred the import of food, fuel, medicine
and humanitarian aid for well over a month as it seeks to pressure Hamas
to accept changes to the truce agreement they reached in January.
A strike on a media tent outside Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis at
around 2 a.m. set the tent ablaze, killing Yousef al-Faqawi, a reporter
for the Palestine Today news website, and another man, according to the
hospital. Six other reporters were also wounded in the strike.
The Israeli military said it hit a Hamas militant, without providing
further information. The military says it tries to avoid harming
civilians and blames Hamas for their deaths because it is deeply
embedded in residential areas.
Israel also struck tents on the edge of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the
central city of Deir al-Balah, wounding three people, according to the
hospital.
Nasser Hospital said it received another 13 bodies, including six women
and four children, from separate strikes overnight. Al-Aqsa Hospital
said two people were killed and three wounded in a strike on a home in
Deir al-Balah.
Thousands of people have sheltered in tents set up inside hospital
compounds throughout the 18-month war, assuming Israel would be less
likely to target them. Israel has raided hospitals on several occasions,
accusing Hamas of using them for military purposes, allegations denied
by hospital staff.
The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on Oct. 7,
2023, rampaging through army bases and farming communities and killing
some 1,200 people, mostly civilians. They abducted 251 people, and are
still holding 59 captives — 24 of whom are believed to be alive — after
most of the rest were released in ceasefires or other deals.
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Palestinians inspect the site hit by an Israeli strike in Deir al-Balah,
Gaza Strip on Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Israel has vowed to keep escalating military pressure until Hamas
releases the remaining hostages, lays down its arms and leaves the
territory. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he will then
implement U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal to resettle much of
Gaza's population to other countries through what the Israeli leader
refers to as “voluntary emigration.”
Palestinians say they do not want to leave their homeland, and human
rights experts have warned that implementing the Trump proposal
would likely amount to mass expulsion in violation of international
law.
Protests in Israel as Netanyahu meets Trump
Netanyahu will meet with Trump in Washington on Monday to discuss
Gaza and other issues.
Dozens of protesters gathered outside Netanyahu's official residence
in Jerusalem to call for an agreement to release the captives. Many
fear that Netanyahu's decision to resume the fighting has put the
remaining hostages in grave danger and hope Trump can help broker
another deal.
“Now the moment of truth has come," said Varda Ben Baruch,
grandmother of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, addressing
Netanyahu. “You are in the United States and you have to sit there
with President Trump and close a deal so that everyone will be
released home.”
Israel's military offensive has killed over 50,000 Palestinians,
mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry,
which does not say how many of the dead were militants or civilians.
Israel says it has killed around 20,000 militants, without providing
evidence.
The offensive has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and at its height
displaced around 90% of its population.
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