Red Cross concern at crumbling Gaza healthcare system

By Nathan Morley

The International Committee of the Red Cross has warned that the "obliteration" of the healthcare system in the northern Gaza Strip is placing civilians at grave risk.

The ICRC said repeated hostilities in and around hospitals have obliterated the healthcare system in northern Gaza, putting civilians at an unacceptable risk of losing access to lifesaving care.

The Red Cross urged respect and protection for medical facilities under international humanitarian law.

Earlier on Tuesday, 45 people left the European Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis and traveled via the Kerem Shalom border crossing into Israel. 

Reports suggest they will be treated in the United Arab Emirates.

The patients were accompanied by over 100 relatives, according to the hospital. It comes after the Israeli military pushes on with raids and strikes in Gaza. Last week, it conducted a targeted operation against Kamal Adwan Hospital claiming a Hamas command center was operating from the facility.

Gaza health authorities say thousands of Palestinians in Gaza need medical care abroad. Israel has controlled all entry and exit points into Gaza since it captured the southern city of Rafah in May.

Elsewhere, the Israeli army (IDF) says its air force had shot down a missile fired by Houthi rebels in Yemen.

A military spokesman said a rocket fired from Yemen was intercepted by the air force before it reached Israeli territory. The Magen David Adom emergency medical service says it has not received reports of deaths or injuries.

In other regional developments, the ceasefire Turkey entered into with the US-backed Kurdish force SDF around Manbij in northern Syria is holding, according to the US Department of Defense.

The Americans first brokered a ceasefire in early December following the fighting that erupted when rebel groups advanced on Damascus and overthrew the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria.