Israel Destroys Gaza’s Only Cancer Hospital Amid Ongoing Assault

In a move that has drawn widespread international condemnation, Israel has demolished the Turkish Palestinian Friendship Hospital — Gaza’s only specialised cancer treatment facility — along with a nearby medical school. The destruction, carried out on Friday, has effectively eliminated access to cancer care for thousands in the besieged territory.

Massive Explosion Levels Hospital

The explosion, captured on video and circulated online, showed a huge fireball and plumes of smoke engulfing the central Gaza facility. The hospital, already damaged in an earlier Israeli air strike in October 2023, had been shut down in November due to fuel shortages. At the time, the United Nations warned that the lives of 70 patients were at risk; four patients later died from lack of care.

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Israel Expands Military Operations Nearby

The Israeli military confirmed the demolition, alleging without evidence that the hospital was being used by Hamas as a command centre. The demolition comes as Israeli forces intensified operations in the so-called Netzarim Corridor and sealed off movement on Salah al-Din Street, a critical north-south route in Gaza.

Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Deir el-Balah, Tareq Abu Azzoum, said the hospital had been reconstructed with a $34 million Turkish donation in 2017. He added that the facility was crucial for treating up to 30,000 cancer patients annually.

International and Local Condemnation

Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned what it called a “deliberate” act of destruction, accusing Israel of “state terrorism” and a systematic campaign to make Gaza uninhabitable.

“We call on the international community to take concrete and deterrent measures against Israel’s unlawful attacks,” the ministry said.

Gaza’s Ministry of Health echoed the condemnation, accusing Israel of pursuing “systematic destruction of the health system” and continuing what it called a genocidal campaign.

Children Killed Elsewhere as Air Strikes Intensify

In northern Gaza, five children were declared dead on arrival at al-Ahli Arab Hospital following a separate air strike. Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud reported ongoing bombardments in Gaza City and northern areas, with multiple residential buildings targeted in the last few hours.

Ceasefire Talks and International Pressure

Meanwhile, Hamas has said it is considering a new U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal, according to Reuters. European powers including Germany, France, and the UK are urging the United States to support an immediate truce and to push Israel to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East adviser, Steve Witkoff, offered little clarity in a recent interview, saying only that Trump’s vision for Gaza involves “stability,” adding ambiguously that “some people come back … some people don’t.”

The attack on Gaza’s cancer hospital has further inflamed tensions and raised critical questions about the targeting of medical infrastructure, which is protected under international humanitarian law.