Israeli forces continue to encircle Gaza City, issuing final evacuation orders to remaining residents. Across Gaza, Israeli attacks have killed 22 Palestinians, including 16 in Gaza City, since dawn. A newborn baby died in Gaza City’s Al-Helou Hospital as infants were being evacuated to escape Israel’s onslaught. Al Jazeera is reporting that at least seven people were killed in southern Gaza’s al-Mawasi area that Israel designated as a safe zone.
It comes as Médecins Sans Frontières denounced the killing of its 14th staff member in Gaza, occupational therapist Omar Hayek. Meanwhile, UNICEF spokesperson James Elder recounted harrowing conditions at Al-Aqsa Hospital.
James Elder: “This is just absolutely out of control. I promised myself the first story about being in Gaza would be just some of the incredible volunteers and the joy they bring to kids, even in hospitals. And I’m here. The first room I’m in, there are four children, four children who have all been hit by quadcopters. Four children. And then we’re in the — we’re in a makeshift ICU, a makeshift intensive care, because there are so many children. And all four of these children have been hit by quadcopters. Two minutes later in the ICU, sitting with this little girl, Aya, who is 5 years old, and she dies. She died in front of us.”
It comes as Hamas is reportedly demanding key revisions to President Trump’s ceasefire deal. A Hamas source tells The Guardian that the condition to disarm would be difficult for the group to accept.