Hospitals in the Gaza Strip must be protected. The call comes from US President Joe Biden, as the fighting continues fiercely near the structure where over 2,000 people are.
Israeli tanks are positioned outside Al Shifa Hospital, the largest health center in the besieged enclave. Tel Aviv claims there is a Hamas command center connected through tunnels beneath the structure and that the militants are using the patients as human shields. But in a statement on Monday evening, the head of the White House asked Israel to tone down activity in the area.
"You know I have not hesitated to express my concern about what is happening. I hope there will be less intrusive actions regarding the hospital. We are in contact with the Israelis. Also, there is an effort for a pause in the fighting, so that the prisoners can be released," Biden said.
The World Health Organization warned that Al Shifa was turning into a mass grave, with bodies of victims piled up inside and outside. Dozens of babies who were born prematurely and 45 kidney patients who need dialysis are at risk of dying after the services at the hospital went out of order.
Israel has announced that it has begun work to transfer incubators from a hospital in Israel to Gaza. So, the Israeli army released a video that it says shows some of the hostages being held in Rantis hospital.
Hamas has expressed its willingness to release 70 women and children in exchange for a 5-day ceasefire. According to the Washington Post, the parties are close to agreeing to release most of the women and children in exchange for the release of Palestinian youths held in Israeli prisons.
While the balance of victims in Gaza has exceeded 11,000, Israel claims that Hamas has lost control of the territory.
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