Condemnation mounts as Israeli strike forces Gaza City's last functional hospital to cease operations

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Condemnation mounts as Israeli strike forces Gaza City's last functional hospital to cease operations

2025-04-16 13:44 Last Updated At：17:27

Palestinians in Gaza have condemned Israel for repeatedly striking medical facilities in the territory since October 2023, after Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, the last fully functional hospital in Gaza City, was forced to shut down as its key infrastructure had been damaged in an Israeli airstrike early on Sunday.

The hospital buildings sustained severe damage in the Israeli airstrike. While local medical and civil defense personnel are working to clear the debris and perform emergency repairs, it remains difficult for the hospital to resume operations in the short term.

This marks the third time the hospital has been targeted. In the early weeks of the Israeli military operations, the hospital was hit massively, leading to the death of almost 500 displaced Palestinians.

"Israel's direct attack on the hospital completely violated international law and ethical standards. This hospital is world-renowned, with doctors, refugees, journalists, and even foreign delegations stationed here, yet the Israeli army insisted on bombing this area," said Munir Al-Barsh, director general of the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

After the airstrike, 50 patients from the hospital were transferred to other facilities, but 40 others who are critically ill cannot be transferred. Muhammad Abu Nasser, who was injured in an explosion shortly after the outbreak of the latest round of the Palestine-Israel conflict in October 2023, had steel nails implanted in both of his legs.

He requires to undergo numerous surgeries, and he is still unable to walk now. Following the airstrike, he was temporarily placed near the hospital, awaiting transfer to another facility.

"I was in the surgical ward when the attack occurred. The blast left patients, doctors, and everyone in the hospital terrified. The hospital should have been a safe haven, but now almost no hospital in Gaza is fully operational. Where can we go now?" Nasser said.

The health authorities in Gaza reported on Tuesday that the Palestinian death toll since the start of the conflict on October 7, 2023 had reached 51,000, with 116,343 wounded.

Voting for 2nd phase of Myanmar's general election concludes

Voting for the second phase of Myanmar's multi-party democratic general election concluded on Sunday afternoon.

Voting began at 06:00 local time on Sunday. At 16:00, an election official at a polling station in Yangon's Latha township announced the closure of the polling station.

Following the closure, election staff at the polling station, in the presence of domestic and international media, candidates, and observers, counted the votes, including advance votes, for seats in the Pyithu Hluttaw (Lower House), Amyotha Hluttaw (Upper House), and State and Region Hluttaws (State and Region Parliaments).

The second phase of the election was held in 100 townships across 12 of the 14 regions and states. In the Yangon region, it was held in 16 townships, including the townships of Latha, Bahan, Kyimyindaing and Kawhmu.

"We welcome the election, which is expected to bring new changes to the country," said a Yangon resident.

"I hope the parties can lead us and make it a better country, which is why I support the election," said another voter.

Myanmar's multi-party democratic general election is being held in three phases, with the first phase held in 102 townships on Dec 28 last year, and the third phase scheduled for Jan 25 this year in 63 townships.

"The parliament is scheduled to convene in March. Following the conclusion of the session, the new government will officially take office in April. We hope that more foreign investment will flow into Myanmar, enabling the public to enjoy the opportunities generated by the country's economic development more fully," said Zaw Min Tun, leader of the Information Team of Myanmar's National Defense and Security Council.

The Union Election Commission (UEC) said that about 5,000 candidates from 57 political parties are competing in the three phases of the election, adding that it plans to set up over 21,000 polling stations across the country for all three phases of the general election.

The election will produce the elected members of the Union Parliament (Pyithu Hluttaw and Amyotha Hluttaw) and State and Region Parliaments; the new Union Parliament will then elect a new president, who will form a new Union Government.