Last hospital in northern Gaza has halted operations: Health official

The only operating hospital in the conflict-ravaged northern Gaza Strip halted services on Wednesday owing to fuel shortages and heavy Israeli strikes, according to a Palestinian health official.

"Kamal Odwan Hospital was out of service due to repeated Israeli targetting and the exhaustion of fuel needed to operate the generators," Munir Al-Bursh, director-general of the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, said at a press conference.

Al-Barsh added that the Israeli army continued to besiege the hospital in the town of Beit Lahia and targetted it with air and artillery bombardment, Xinhua news agency reported. He said the hospital received more than 100 bodies overnight on Tuesday, but was unable to bury them owing to the heavy strikes.

Over the past two days, areas around the hospital came under two Israeli aerial attacks and witnessed heavy fighting between the Israeli army and Palestinian militants, resulting in deaths and injuries.

According to the health ministry, more than 10,000 displaced people have taken shelter in and around the hospital, and are unable to leave owing to the fighting.

Since 7 October, Israel has been waging a large-scale war against Hamas in Gaza, which has left 15,899 Palestinians dead, the ministry said on Monday.

The conflict began after Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on southern Israel, which claimed the lives of about 1,200 people, according to Israeli claims.