Story by Oleen Ndori, Foreign Desk Editor
Fighting raged in the Gaza Strip this Friday, nearly six weeks after an unprecedented attack by Hamas sparked retaliation by Israel, which has vowed to destroy the Palestinian militant group.
Reports say Israeli troops carried out building-by-building searches at Gaza’s main hospital this Friday after a communication blackout in the Palestinian territory compounded fears for civilians trapped inside the facility.
Al-Shifa Hospital has become a focal point for Israeli operations in northern Gaza since soldiers raided the complex on Wednesday, hunting for a command centre allegedly operated by a militant group, Hamas.
Hamas and hospital managers deny the charge and there has been international concern about thousands of people including wounded patients and premature babies believed to be inside.
The Israeli army claims to have killed at least five militants in Jenin, in the occupied West Bank, as Hamas admitted a number of its fighters were killed in the overnight raid.
Most fatalities have however been among non-combatants with Israeli officials claiming that about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed in Israel during the October 7 attack and around 240 taken hostage.
On the other hand, Hamas officials in Gaza say more than 11,000 people, mostly civilians, have also been killed.
