Israeli forces' raid on Gaza hospital escalates humanitarian crisis

JERUSALEM, Israel 

Israeli forces conducted a raid on Shifa Hospital in Gaza City early Monday, alleging that Hamas militants were using it as a base of operations.

According to Gaza's health ministry, the raid resulted in a fire at the hospital entrance, causing suffocation among women and children. Israeli media reported that the military took control of the hospital and detained 80 people.

Chief military spokesperson Daniel Hagari described the operation as "high-precision" and stated that it was based on "concrete" intelligence regarding activities within the medical complex.

The raid comes amidst desperate conditions in Gaza, with hundreds of Palestinians in Gaza City awaiting food aid on Sunday. 

The situation is particularly dire in northern Gaza, which has suffered widespread devastation and has been largely cut off by Israeli forces since October.

Despite evacuation orders, up to 300,000 Palestinians are believed to have remained in the north, with many resorting to eating animal feed in recent weeks. 

Aid groups have struggled to deliver assistance due to Israeli restrictions, ongoing hostilities, and a breakdown of order.

In diplomatic developments, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday. 

Scholz affirmed Germany's commitment to supporting Israel amid escalating tensions in the region.