HEAVY FIGHTING IN NORTHERN GAZA CONTINUES AS CONCERN GROWS OVER THE BABIES AT KEY HOSPITAL

 The World Health Organization (WHO) says Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City "is not functioning as a hospital anymore"

1. The WHO says "constant gunfire and bombings in the area have exacerbated the already critical circumstances"
2. Doctors there say they fear the remaining 36 newborn babies needing intensive care treatment may die.
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4. There have been reports of fierce fighting nearby as Israeli forces continue their ground operation against Hamas
5. Israel says Hamas has a command centre under Al-Shifa - which Hamas denies - but insists it is not hitting the hospital during fighting
6. Meanwhile, the US has carried out air strikes on two Iranian bases in Syria, following attacks against its military personnel in Syria and Iraq
7. Israel began striking Gaza after the Hamas attacks on 7 October, which saw 1,200 people killed and more than 200 taken hostage
8. The Hamas-run health ministry says more than 11,000 people have been killed in Gaza since - of whom more than 4,500 were children.

9. Clashes continue in northern Gaza Strip

   

   IDFCopyright: IDF

   Israeli soldiers in military vehicles are in the northern Gaza StripImage caption: Israeli soldiers in military vehicles are in the northern Gaza Strip

   The Israeli army has released a statement giving an update about its continuing operation in the Gaza Strip, along with some pictures.

   The army said it has conducted 4300 air strikes during its campaign against Hamas, targeting tunnel shafts and Hamas command and control centres, hitting "3,000 terrorist infrastructure sites", according to the statement.

   As we've been reporting, in recent days there have been reports of fierce fighting near hospitals in Gaza City as Israeli forces continue their ground operation against Hamas.

   The WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has previously said that "constant gunfire and bombings" in the area around the Al-Shifa hospital in the city has "exacerbated the already critical circumstances" for the facility.

10. Eight Iran-affiliated fighters killed in US strikes on Syria, monitor says

    The US said earlier that it had carried out air strikes on two bases used by Iran's Revolutionary Guards in Syria and Iran-affiliated groups in response to continued attacks on US military personnel in Syria and Iraq.

    The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based monitoring group, is now reporting that eight members of Iran-backed militias were killed, most of them non-Syrian nationals.

    It says the strikes destroyed a weapons depot in the countryside around Albu Kamal and a rocket launch platform near Mayadin.

    The SOHR also says Iran-backed militias fired rockets at the US bases in the Conoco gas field and the al-Omar oil field overnight. There were no immediate reports of any US casualties.

11. IDF says mortars fired from Lebanon into Israel

    The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) say two motor shells were fired from Lebanon. An alert was activated in the Galilee area but the missiles landed in an open area, and no casualties have been reported.

    In the update on X, the IDF says overnight its forces attacked an “armed terrorist cell” in Lebanese territory.

    Since the current conflict erupted between Israel and Hamas, there've been near daily skirmishes on the border between Israel and Lebanon. The powerful Iran-backed movement Hezbollah has been involved in most of these.

12. MORE DETAILS AT: Israel-Gaza live news: World Health Organisation says Gaza's main hospital no longer functioning - BBC News