PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES, Nov 5: The Israeli military has pounded the Gaza Strip, killing dozens of people mainly in the north and again attacking the last partially functioning hospital in the area.
At least 33 people were killed in air raids across the enclave, including 20 in the northern town of Beit Lahiya, four in Gaza City, six in central areas and three in southern Khan Younis, Al Jazeera Arabic sources and the Wafa news agency reported late on Monday.
Rescuers and UN agencies say hundreds of people have been killed and the area has been left desperately short of essential supplies.
Gaza's health ministry said Israeli forces were "continuing to violently bombard and destroy Kamal Adwan Hospital".
Hospital director Hossam Abu Safieh said in a statement the situation was "catastrophic", with several staff injured.
"We do not understand the purpose behind this bombing that is targeting the hospital."
World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said six child patients were injured in the strike on the hospital, which he described as "appalling".
Israel's military said it was checking the report.
Separately, it said troops "are continuing to operate against terrorist infrastructure and operatives in the northern and central Gaza Strip".
Earlier Monday Israel issued formal notification that ties with UNRWA, the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees, would be cut after lawmakers voted to ban the organisation vital to Palestinians in the occupied territories.
The ban sparked global condemnation and came after the United States in mid-October warned Israel it could withhold some of its billions of dollars in military assistance unless it improves aid delivery to Gaza within 30 days.
"There is simply no alternative to UNRWA," WHO chief Tedros said in a video posted on X Monday, adding that the "ban will not make Israel safer".
Israel has accused a dozen of UNRWA's roughly 13,000 employees in Gaza of involvement in the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas which triggered the Gaza war.
"On the instruction of Foreign Minister Israel Katz, the ministry of foreign affairs notified the UN of the cancellation of the agreement between the State of Israel and UNRWA," a ministry statement said.
Katz was quoted as saying UNRWA was "part of the problem in the Gaza Strip and not part of the solution". —AFP
