Israel detains 240 Palestinians, including medics, after Gaza hospital raid
Israel’s military has detained 240 Palestinians, including medical staff, in the Gaza Strip after raiding a hospital and several other locations in the besieged territory. The detentions came as the Israeli military carried out a series of operations in Gaza, which has been under a blockade by Israel and Egypt since 2007.
According to Palestinian officials, the detentions took place in the early hours of the morning, with Israeli forces storming the Gaza City hospital and several other locations, including a refugee camp and a number of homes. The detentions are believed to be part of a broader crackdown on Hamas, the Islamist group that has controlled Gaza since 2007.
The detentions have sparked widespread outrage among Palestinians, who have accused Israel of targeting medical staff and other civilians. The Gaza Health Ministry has confirmed that several medics were among those detained, including doctors and nurses who were providing medical care to wounded Palestinians.
The detentions come amid a surge in violence in Gaza, which has seen a series of clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants. The violence has left several people dead and many more injured, and has raised concerns about the potential for further escalation.
The Israeli military has said that the detentions were carried out in order to prevent Hamas from launching attacks against Israel. However, Palestinian officials have accused Israel of using the detentions as a pretext to further tighten its grip on Gaza.
The detentions have also been condemned by international human rights groups, which have called on Israel to release the detained Palestinians and to end its blockade of Gaza. The blockade has been widely criticized for causing widespread poverty and humanitarian suffering in Gaza, and has been seen as a major obstacle to the development of the territory.