Israeli Army Advances in Khan Younis; Tanks 'Besiege' a Hospital

The Gaza Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas, claimed that Israeli army forces entered the 'Al-Khair' hospital on Monday, February 21, continuing their advance in Khan Younis, and detained the medical staff of this center. Reuters reported that simultaneously with the presence of Israeli forces in the 'Al-Khair' hospital, Israeli army tanks have also besieged another hospital in Khan Younis named 'Al-Amal'. According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, the 'Al-Amal' hospital has been the headquarters of the relief organization, and communication between the staff of this headquarters and the Red Crescent has now been cut off. Tomaso Della Longa, a spokesperson for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, expressed concern over the reports about the 'Al-Amal' hospital and told Reuters: 'We are deeply concerned about these events and are closely monitoring the developments.' In contrast, Israel claims that Hamas uses hospitals for its 'terrorist' attacks from inside and around them. Reuters also reported that the Israeli army spokesperson's office did not comment on the claims made by the Hamas Health Ministry regarding the hospitals in Khan Younis, but a member of the Israeli Ministry of Defense stated that a dedicated team is working to ensure civilian access to medical care in Khan Younis. It is reported that Nasser Hospital is now the only large hospital that is still accessible and operational in Khan Younis and Gaza. Meanwhile, Riyad al-Maliki, the Foreign Minister of the Palestinian Authority, who traveled to the EU headquarters in Brussels, told reporters that the situation in Gaza is out of control. He urged the European Union to work for an immediate ceasefire in the region. Osama Hamdan, a Hamas official, also reiterated calls for a complete ceasefire at a press conference in Beirut, emphasizing: 'Hamas remains committed to the destruction of Israel and will accept nothing less than a fully independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.' John Kirby, the National Security Council's Strategic Communications Coordinator at the White House, in response to the events on Monday in Gaza, stated: 'Israel has the right to defend itself, but we expect them to do so in accordance with international law and to protect innocent people in hospitals, medical staff, and patients as much as possible.' Following Hamas's terrorist attack on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people, including women, children, and the elderly, and the taking of more than 240 hostages, Israel launched an offensive against Gaza aimed at destroying this Islamist group. Israel claims that there are still 130 hostages in Gaza, although about 100 of them are likely still alive. The United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan, Israel, and several other countries have listed Hamas as a terrorist organization. The U.S. has imposed new sanctions against the Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades and Hamas, increasing pressure on the Quds Force. Families of Israeli hostages stormed the Israeli parliament in a protest action.