The U.S. “doesn’t want to see hospital shootings where innocent people, patients receiving medical care, are caught in the crossfire,” Sullivan said. Sullivan said on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” that they were actively discussing this with the Israel Defense Forces.
The fact that Hamas “uses hospitals, like many other civilian facilities, as command and control centers, as weapons storage facilities and as housing for its fighters” is a “violation of the laws of war,” Sullivan said. There are fears in the Gaza Strip that Shifa Hospital, for example, could soon be subject to a large-scale Israeli operation.
Borrell calls on Israel to show restraint
The European Union also accused Hamas of using hospitals and civilians in the Gaza Strip as “human shields”. In a statement issued on Sunday by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on behalf of the EU, Israel was also called on to exercise “the greatest possible restraint” to protect civilian lives.
“Civilians must be able to leave the combat zone.” Borrell complained about the serious consequences of the fighting for hospitals in the Gaza Strip and the “terrible consequences for civilians and medical personnel”. International humanitarian law requires that hospitals, medical care and civilians in hospitals be protected, he emphasized.
WHO: Contact Schifa Clinic again – devastating situation
According to eyewitnesses, there are thousands of people in and around Shifa Hospital, including injured people who cannot be transported, medical staff and people seeking protection. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced in the evening that, after an interruption, it had managed to re-establish contact with employees at Shifa Hospital.
Israel rejects accusations
Palestinians complain that Gaza’s largest hospital has run out of fuel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas had halted fuel deliveries. Netanyahu also rejects allegations that Israel is bombing hospitals.
The situation is devastating and dangerous, said WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus via Twitter (X). The constant shelling and shelling in the region further worsened the already critical conditions. The number of deaths among patients has increased significantly. The clinic no longer operates as a hospital. The WHO chief called for an immediate ceasefire.
At the same time, Hamas – according to the Portal news agency, specifically from an official familiar with the negotiations – said it was suspending hostage negotiations due to the Israeli action against the Shifa hospital. The hospital came under heavy attack as Israeli forces approached the facility, it is claimed.
Israel: “Hamas is lying about what is happening in hospitals”
The Israeli military, however, rejected allegations that it was firing at the hospital. There was no shooting at the hospital, but there were skirmishes with Hamas terrorists in the area, an army official said. “Hamas is lying about what is happening in hospitals,” said army spokesman Daniel Hagari.
People could still leave the hospital safely, said Col. Moshe Tetro of COGAT, a unit of the Israeli Defense Ministry that works with Palestinians on civil matters. The eastern side of the site is open to anyone wishing to find safety.
Hospitals in Gaza, according to the OCHA database and OpenStreetMap entries, use touchscreen or blue buttons (right) to zoom
An army spokesman in Tel Aviv made similar comments. “There is no shooting or siege at the hospital,” he said. Israeli troops supported anyone who wanted to leave the hospital safely. Hospital officials asked that the babies be evacuated to a safer hospital, military spokesman Hagari said. “We will provide the necessary support.”
Head of the Schifa clinic denies rejecting fuel
At the same time, the head of Shifa Hospital on Sunday denied reports from Israel that his clinic had rejected a supply of fuel under pressure from Hamas. The head of the clinic, Mohammad Abu Salamia, spoke of “lies and defamation”.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry said Hamas prevented the clinic from using 300 liters of fuel that Israeli soldiers placed in containers near the hospital on Saturday night. Abu Salamia did not reject reports about the dumping of the containers. However, he said that this amount would not be enough to run the generators for “fifteen minutes”.
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Hamas terrorist attack largely reconstructed
Fear of bombing
According to the head of the clinic, the team also fears being shot if they leave the clinic to take the containers. If Israel really wanted to deliver fuel, it could have sent it in cooperation with the Red Cross or another international organization, Abu Salamia said.
Army spokesman Richard Hecht said COGAT officials spoke with the hospital before the containers were delivered. “They haven’t taken the fuel yet, maybe Hamas stopped them from doing so,” he said.
Meanwhile, a surgeon at Shifa Hospital working for Doctors Without Borders reported the deaths of two premature babies due to power cuts. An adult patient also died because his ventilator failed, he said. There is no water, no electricity and no food for the patients.
New signals about hostage negotiations
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cautiously raised hopes of a possible release of more hostages from the hands of Islamist Hamas. Asked whether such a deal could happen, Netanyahu told US television network NBC on Sunday: “It could be, but I think the less I say about it, the more likely it is to happen.”
Negotiation tips
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested the possibility of an agreement to release some of the hostages kidnapped by Hamas in an interview with the North American television channel NBC.
If this is successful, it will only be the result of military pressure, Netanyahu emphasized. “That’s the only thing that could lead to a deal.” It was only with the ground offensive by the Israeli military in the Gaza Strip controlled by Hamas that there was movement in the negotiations. “We will talk about it when the time comes and announce it when it comes to fruition.”
NBC and other US media outlets reported, citing government sources, that it was being discussed that Hamas could release about 80 women and children in exchange for Palestinian women and teenagers held in custody in Israel. There has been no official confirmation of this. Netanyahu also did not elaborate on the alleged conditions.
USA: “Delicate and sensitive negotiations”
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told ABC that negotiations were underway in which Qatar was involved and the US government was actively involved. “Attempts are being made to reach an agreement that includes the release of hostages,” Sullivan said. Biden will not rest until such an agreement is reached.
Portal/Jonathan Ernst Sullivan: “I have to be careful what I say publicly about this”
But Sullivan emphasized: “I have to be careful about what I say publicly about this because these are obviously delicate and sensitive negotiations.” The US government does not have exact numbers of hostages. There are only a few people missing. But it’s unclear how many of them are still alive. On the US side, nine people with US citizenship and one person with a permanent residence permit in the US are missing.
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Next call to flee northern Gaza
Israel: Escape corridor open
The Israeli army gave the civilian population in the north of the Gaza Strip a new window of opportunity to flee south on Sunday. The escape corridor was therefore open for several hours. According to data from the Israeli army, 150,000 people moved south in the last three days alone.
In connection with the new evacuation request, the Israeli army also announced a “tactical pause” in fighting for “humanitarian purposes” in two areas in northern Gaza. Israel now also operates with ground troops in large parts of the northern Gaza Strip. According to eyewitness accounts, Israeli tanks rolled through the central streets of Gaza City.