Israel faces global outrage after 20 die in Gaza hospital strike, while families of Hamas-held hostages protest at home demanding government action.
According to an eyewitness, the victims on the fourth floor of Nasser Hospital were killed in a double-tap strike, with one missile striking first and then another as rescue personnel arrived. It was one of the most deadly of several Israeli attacks that have targeted journalists and hospitals throughout the 22-month conflict.
Germany has demanded a probe, while the United States, European Union, Canada, Britain, Egypt, China, France, and Spain all condemned the incident.
US President Trump said:
“I'm not happy about it. I don't want to see it. At the same time, we have to end that whole nightmare.”
While he did not provide further context, he said that there is now a "very serious" diplomatic effort to stop the war, and that a "conclusive ending" to Gaza may be possible in the next few weeks.
David Lammy, the British foreign secretary, has called for an "immediate ceasefire" and condemned the attack in the strongest horror.
Separately, Israeli demonstrators have shut down major highways across the country, protesting for the return of those taken hostage by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
At 6.29 a.m. local time, the same time when Hamas began its attack two years prior, the captives and Missing Families Forum, which speaks for the captives' families, began its "national day of struggle."
“Advancing the plan to conquer Gaza while there is an agreement lying on the table for the Prime Minister's signature is a stab in the heart of the families and the entire nation,”
said Itzik Horn, father of Eitan Horn and captivity survivor Iair Horn.
As a massive fire burned across portions of a route between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, footage circulated online shows traffic coming to a complete stop.
According to an Israeli military spokesperson, the army has opened an internal investigation into the strikes and does not target people.
According to a letter from the inquiry lead, the UN investigators who were supposed to look into Israeli settlement aggression and arms supplies for the Gaza war have been put on hold because of a lack of resources.
Throughout the conflict, Israel has launched many attacks against hospitals, alleging that Hamas establishes itself inside and around the establishments.
The latest assault struck after Israel promised it would extend its campaign into crowded areas for the purpose of eliminating Hamas.
Under significant domestic opposition and international condemnation, Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz, in a Monday pronouncement, declared that Israel will continue the assault on Gaza City.
How can families of hostages pressure Israeli officials for accountability?
Families are staging rallies, sit-ins, and highway blockades across Israel to push for government action and political responsibility on behalf of hostages. These acts of civil resistance are intended to raise awareness, and continue to apply pressure to argue their cause to Israeli leaders.
The Hostage and Missing Families Forum and other organizations take on the role of coordinating joint efforts, lift the voices of the families on a domestic and international scale, organize petitions, and use the media to focus attention on the hostage crisis.
Families are working in conjunction with agencies like the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as a neutral agency to facilitate confidential negotiations; they can also engage governments to advocate for humane treatment and access to hostages to build diplomatic pressure.