Gaza’s health ministry said a fire broke out at the entrance of the complex, causing cases of suffocation among displaced women and children in the hospital.

It said communication had been cut off, with people trapped inside the surgery and emergency units of one of the buildings.

“There are casualties, including deaths and injuries, and it is impossible to rescue anyone due to the intensity of the fire and targeting of anyone approaching the windows,” the ministry said, accusing Israeli forces of committing “another crime against health institutions.”

The ministry appealed to the UN and its institutions to curb the israeli army from committing a new massacre against the civilians and medical staff inside the facility.

Earlier, local sources reported that israeli tanks and armored vehicles stormed, under heavy bombardment and gunfire, the western areas of Gaza City and encircled Al-Shifa Hospital, which houses thousands of displaced, sick and wounded civilians, and attacked some of its buildings with a volley of projectiles and bullets. (ILKHA)