Palestinian health minister says 3,478 killed in Gaza; Israeli government says 1,400 killed in Israel
RAMALLAH, West Bank — Israel's airstrikes in Gaza have killed 3,478 people and injured another 12,065, a spokesman for the Palestinian Ministry of Health said in a Facebook post this morning. In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, 61 people have been killed and more than 1,250 wounded, the ministry said yesterday.
In Israel, more than 1,400 people have been killed and another 3,500 wounded since the Hamas attack Oct. 7, according to the government's press office.
The death toll in Israel includes 260 people slaughtered at a music festival and 107 murdered in a small farming community, according to Zaka, a community emergency response service recognized by the Israeli government.
Palestinian Health Ministry says almost 500 people killed in Gaza hospital blast
RAMALLAH, West Bank — The deadly explosion at a Christian-run hospital in central Gaza yesterday killed 471 people, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
Gazan authorities claimed the blast was caused by an Israeli airstrike; Israel claimed the blast was caused by a misfired rocket from a Palestinian militant group.
Health Minister Mai Kayla said that more than 3,300 people have been killed across Gaza since Israel started airstrikes following the Hamas terror attacks Oct. 7.
"There is an acute shortage of medicines in the Gaza Strip and a major problem in accessing hospitals," Kalya said, "and the water outages and deterioration of the sewage system increases the risks of the spread of communicable diseases."
Analysis: Gaza hospital blast upends U.S. diplomacy
The Gaza hospital blast has upended international politics again, putting U.S. diplomatic efforts at risk.
The United Arab Emirates is a close U.S. ally and signatory to the Abraham Accords that built bridges with Israel. Overnight, the Gulf state strongly condemned what it called the ‘Israeli attack that targeted Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital,’ despite Israel denying responsibility and blaming Palestinian militants.
Today, the UAE has joined Russia and China in supporting a United Nations Security Council emergency meeting on the issue, while the U.N. secretary-general called for an “immediate humanitarian cease-fire” and said Hamas “attacks cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.”
But it is where he made those comments that may be just as notable: He was speaking in China. Developing countries have gathered at a conference to salute Beijing’s investment around the world. Russian President Vladimir Putin is there and told reporters the hospital bombing is ‘a terrible event' that he hopes 'will be a signal that this conflict should be ended as quickly as possible.’
It's another indication that Russia and China will look to use events in Gaza to further attempt to win over hearts and minds in the Middle East and developing countries.
Meanwhile, the Western push to secure the release of hostages is at the very least on hold. A diplomat with knowledge of the talks told NBC News the hospital blast has ‘made it impossible for Hamas to do anything now even if they’re willing.’
British PM says intel services trying to 'independently establish the facts' on Gaza hospital blast
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told Parliament today that the country's intelligence services are "rapidly analyzing the evidence to independently establish the facts" in the deadly blast at a Christian-run hospital in central Gaza, which Palestinian health officials say killed 500 people.
Sunak decried the explosion, telling Parliament that "any loss of innocent life is a dreadful tragedy." He said the U.K. "should not rush to judgment before we have all the facts on this awful situation."
Gazan officials have claimed the blast was caused by an Israeli airstrike; Israel's military claimed the blast was caused by a misfired rocket from a Palestinian militant group.
In a post on X this morning, Britain's foreign secretary said "too many jumped to conclusions" after the explosion. "Wait for the facts, report them clearly and accurately," James Cleverly said in the post. "Cool heads must prevail."
Diocese in charge of al-Ahli Hospital says the building was a 'sanctuary' during strikes
Before the blast at al-Ahli, Palestinians across Gaza were using the hospital as a sanctuary from the constant barrage of strikes, according to Archbishop Hosam Naoum.
Naoum, who is part of the Diocese of Jerusalem that runs the hospital, said al-Ahli is a complex of seven buildings with a courtyard and church in the center. It was the parking lot that took the brunt of the damage, the archbishop confirmed.
Naoum told a news conference in Jerusalem today that two employees were injured but the rest were busy with patients.
"There were operations taking place while the blast took place," Naoum said. "So they were in surgeries, and then we had to evacuate all our patients to neighboring hospitals."
Naoum said that the hospital was hit three days prior in an Israeli airstrikes and the hospital received multiple evacuation notices afterward, but he did not consider the two issues connected. The church administrators could not determine the cause of the blast, Naoum said, noting that the clergymen were not military experts.
The hospital has solar power capabilities, as well as a reserve of fuel and supplies, but Naoum said it was just a matter of days until those supplies are gone.
'People are dehydrated — especially babies,' U.N. Palestinian refugee agency warns about Gaza's water shortages
As water shortages in Gaza are becoming more dire, the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) spoke with CNBC about the impact on civilians, as the enclave is in its 10th day of complete blockade by Israel.
Biden joins war Cabinet, says ‘we will continue to have Israel’s back’
Biden reiterated Washington's support for Israel after meeting with Netanyahu and his war Cabinet.
“We will continue to have Israel’s back,” Biden said, according to a pool report. He added that they were working with partners across the region to prevent more tragedy for civilians.
Biden did not respond when asked about his earlier comment that “the other team” appeared to be responsible for the deadly blast at the Gaza hospital.
Netanyahu, who spoke before Biden, said that blame for the hospital explosion should be placed on Palestinian militants. Gaza health officials and Hamas blame Israel. NBC News has not been able to enter Gaza and has not verified either side’s claims.
Protesters in Iran burn Israeli flags after Gaza hospital blast
Protesters in the Iranian capital, Tehran, chanted “death to Israel” and burned Israeli flags last night after a deadly explosion at a Gaza hospital was estimated to have killed hundreds.
Death toll in Gaza reaches more than 3,300 as humanitarian crisis grows
RAMALLAH, West Bank — Health authorities in Gaza said the death toll in Gaza reached more than 3,300 today, amid what they said was a "severe shortage" of medicine in the enclave that has been under Israel's complete blockade for 10 days.
Health Minister Dr. May Al-Qila said there was a major problem in access to hospitals, exacerbated by water cuts and deterioration of the sewage system that are increasing the risk of an outbreak of communicable diseases.
International organizations have been warning for days that Gaza's health system is on the brink of collapse, unable to cope with the number of people needing medical help.
Pope Francis deplores ‘desperate’ situation in Gaza
Pope Francis deplored the “desperate” situation in Gaza today as he urged the faithful to take “only one side” in the Israel-Hamas conflict, the side “of peace.”
Speaking during his weekly audience in St. Peter’s Square, Francis did not mention the deadly Gaza hospital blast, for which Israelis and Palestinians are blaming each other.
“War does not solve any problem, it only sows death and destruction, increases hatred, multiplies revenge. War erases the future,” he said.