Scores killed as Israel strikes ambulance near Gaza hospital

GAZA: An Israeli air strike on an ambulance being used to evacuate the wounded from besieged northern Gaza killed 15 people and injured 60 others on Friday.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society has said one of its ambulances was struck “by a missile fired by the Israeli forces” just feet from the entrance to the hospital in Gaza City, in an attack it says killed 15 people and wounded more than 60 others.

Video shared on social media, showed people lying in blood next to an ambulance with flashing lights on a city street as people rushed to help.

Another video showed three ambulances standing in a line, with about a dozen people lying either motionless or barely moving next to them. Blood was pooled nearby.

World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a social media post he was “utterly shocked by reports of attacks on ambulances evacuating patients”, adding that patients, health workers and medical facilities must be protected.

Utterly shocked by reports of attacks on ambulances evacuating patients close to Al-Shifa hospital in #Gaza, leading to deaths, injuries and damage.

We reiterate: patients, health workers, facilities, and ambulances must be protected at all times. Always.

Ceasefire NOW.…

— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) November 3, 2023

The head of the United Nations was “horrified” by a strike by Israeli forces on a convoy of ambulances in Gaza on Friday, he said in a statement, adding that the conflict “must stop”.

“I am horrified by the reported attack in Gaza on an ambulance convoy outside Al Shifa hospital. The images of bodies strewn on the street outside the hospital are harrowing,” Antonio Guterres said in the statement.

Israel, which has accused Hamas of concealing command centres and tunnel entrances in al-Shifa hospital, ordered all civilians to leave the north of Gaza last month and its military encircled the area on Thursday.

Despite its order for civilians to leave northern areas of Gaza, Israel’s military has continued to bombard the south of the strip as well.