4 killed, 17 wounded in Israeli bombing on hospital in Gaza

Gaza, April 1: At least four Palestinians were killed and 17 others were wounded in an Israeli bombing on tents inside the Al-Aqsa Hospital in the central Gaza Strip, Palestinian eyewitnesses and sources said.

The eyewitnesses reported to Xinhua news agency on Sunday that a drone fired at least one missile at tents housing displaced persons and journalists in the courtyard of the Al-Aqsa Hospital in the city of Deir al-Balah.

The Israel Defense Forces said on its official X account that "an IAF (Israeli Air Force) aircraft struck an operational Islamic Jihad command centre and terrorists positioned in the courtyard of the Al-Aqsa Hospital," adding that the hospital building was not damaged and its function was not affected, Xinhua news agency reported.

Palestinian medical sources said the attack killed four people and injured 17 others with varying injuries, including two journalists.

Activists shared a video on Facebook showing tents made of nylon and tin catching fire.

Meanwhile, the Hamas-run media office in Gaza condemned in a statement that the Israeli army waged another "massacre" by bombing at the peak hours of movement among the wounded and the displaced in the hospital.

The office called on international and regional organisations related to health work to "condemn this terrible crime".