One of Gaza's last functioning hospitals is emptying out as Israeli forces draw near

One of Gaza’s last functioning hospitals has been emptying out in recent days as Israel has ordered the evacuation of nearby areas and signaled a possible ground operation in a town that has been largely spared throughout the war, officials said Monday.

One of Gaza’s last functioning hospitals has been emptying out in recent days as Israel has ordered the evacuation of nearby areas and signaled a possible ground operation in a town that has been largely spared throughout the war, officials said Monday.

The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah is the main hospital serving central Gaza. The military has not ordered its evacuation, but patients and people sheltering there fear that it may be engulfed in fighting or become the target of an Israeli raid.

Israeli forces have invaded several hospitals over the course of the 10-month-old war, accusing Hamas of using them for military purposes, allegations denied by Palestinian health officials.

Palestinians evacuate patients from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah on Monday.Eyad Baba / AFP - Getty ImagesIsraeli evacuation orders now cover around 84% of Gaza’s territory, according to the United Nations, which estimates that around 90% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million have been forced from their homes.

Many have been displaced multiple times, fleeing with what they can carry. Hundreds of thousands of people have packed into swollen tent camps along the coast where there are few if any public services.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/gaza-al-aqsa-hospital-emptying-israel-war-rcna168174

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