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NEW: Israeli Strikes Shutter Gaza’s European Hospital—Only 8 ICU Patients Remain
Gaza’s European Hospital in Khan Younis—one of southern Gaza’s largest and most vital medical centers—has been forced out of service after repeated Israeli airstrikes on May 13 and 14 devastated the facility, killing at least 28 people and injuring over 70.
➤ At the time of the strikes, the hospital was treating trauma and burn victims, sheltering displaced families, and caring for children with cancer awaiting evacuation. It was among the last surgical hospitals still functioning in the south.
➤ British surgeon Tom Potokar, in a video shared with Sky News’ Alex Crawford, said the facility is now abandoned—apart from eight ICU patients who are too unstable to move. “We cannot just abandon them,” he said. “Nor our Palestinian colleagues.”
➤ On Tuesday, two additional Israeli strikes hit the hospital compound as staff attempted to clear rubble from the previous day’s bombardment in hopes of resuming surgeries. Instead, the renewed attacks halted those efforts and caused additional damage.
➤ The hospital had previously been damaged in a February 2024 Israeli strike that hit its fuel tank, killing one and injuring six. It was later repaired and reopened with support from the Palestinian Medical Relief Society and PalMed Europe. This week’s assault has now left the facility non-functional—its surgical capacity destroyed, critical equipment damaged, and no secure path available to evacuate the remaining ICU patients.
