Two Gaza hospitals forced to stop operations as Israeli offensive escalates

The Gaza health ministry said two Gaza City hospitals have been taken out of service due to the escalation of Israel's ground offensive and damage caused by continued Israeli bombing, as tanks advanced deeper into the territory.

The ministry said in a statement that Al-Rantissi Children's Hospital had been badly damaged in an Israeli bombardment a few days ago. At the same time, it reported Israeli attacks in the vicinity of the nearby Eye Hospital, which forced the suspension of services there, too.

"The occupation deliberately and systematically targets the healthcare system in the Gaza governorate as part of its genocidal policy against the Strip," it said.

"None of the facilities or hospitals have safe access routes that allow patients and the wounded to reach them," the ministry added.

There was no immediate Israeli military comment.

Nearly two years into the war, Israel describes Gaza City as the last bastion of Hamas. Since Israel launched its ground assault on the city this month, the military has been demolishing housing blocks it says were being used by the group.

On Monday, residents said Israeli tanks had advanced deeper into the Sheikh Radwan area and Jala Street in northern Gaza City, where the two hospitals are located, while in Tel Al-Hawa in the southeast tanks had pushed deeper in the direction of the western parts of the city.

They said Israeli forces had used explosive-laden vehicles, detonated remotely, to blow up dozens of houses in the two areas.

The offensive has alarmed the families of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza. Twenty of those 48 captives are thought to still be alive.

Hamas' military wing released a video on Monday of Israeli hostage Alon Ohel, 24. It was not immediately clear when the video was recorded. Ohel was last seen in a video released by Hamas on September 5.

A representative said that Ohel's family had consented to the media identifying Ohel but had not given permission for the video to be published. The video was released on the eve of the Jewish New Year, known in Hebrew as Rosh Hashanah.

Meanwhile, local health authorities said at least 25 people had been killed by Israeli fire on Monday across the enclave, most of them in Gaza City.