Israel ready to evacuate babies from Gaza hospital as fighting rages

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Israel’s military said it was ready to evacuate babies from Gaza’s largest hospital today, where Palestinian officials said two newborns died and dozens more were at risk after fuel ran out amid intense fighting in the area.

As the humanitarian situation worsened, Gaza’s border authority said the Rafah crossing into Egypt would reopen today for foreign passport holders after closing on Friday.

Hamas said it had completely or partially destroyed more than 160 Israeli military targets in Gaza, including more than 25 vehicles in the past 48 hours.

An Israeli military spokesperson said Hamas had lost control of northern Gaza.

At a news conference late yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the deaths of five more Israeli soldiers in Gaza. The Israeli military said 46 had been killed since its ground operations there began.

Israel said rockets were still being fired from Gaza into southern Israel, where it has said about 1 200 people were killed and more than 200 taken hostage by Hamas last month.

Palestinian officials said on Friday that 11 078 Gaza residents had been killed in air and artillery strikes since October 7, around 40% of them children.

Israel’s three major TV news channels, without citing named sources, said there was some progress toward a deal to free hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

Netanyahu said he would not discuss details of any possible deal, which according to N12 News would involve 50 to 100 women, children and elderly being released in stages during a three to five-day pause in fighting.

According to the reports, Israel would release women and minor Palestinian prisoners and consider letting fuel into Gaza, while reserving the right to resume fighting.

In Tel Aviv, thousands joined a rally to support the families of the hostages.

Gaza residents said Israeli troops, who went to war to eliminate Hamas after its deadly cross-border assault on October 7, had been clashing with Hamas gunmen all night in and around Gaza City where the Al Shifa hospital, Gaza’s largest, is located.

Ashraf Al-Qidra, who represents the health ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza, said the hospital suspended operations after fuel ran out.

He said two babies had died in an incubator as a result. He said there were 45 babies in total.

He said Israeli shelling killed a patient in intensive care and that Israeli snipers on rooftops fired into the medical complex from time to time, limiting people’s ability to move.

The World Health Organisation expressed “grave concern” for the safety of everyone trapped in the hospital by the fighting and said it had lost communications with its contacts there.

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