Gaza Strip, June 9, 2024 — The Israeli army has been accused of a brutal attack that resulted in the deaths of four hostages in the Deir al-Balah and Nuseirat refugee camps in central Gaza. Gaza authorities report that at least 210 Palestinians were killed and more than 400 were injured in the assault on Saturday.

A doctor from Doctors Without Borders described Al-Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza as a "nightmare" with a "flood of blood." Thousands of critically injured patients are being treated at Al-Aqsa and Nasser hospitals. Al-Jazeera reported that the hospital is overwhelmed, with screams of patients filling the air, most of whom are women and children.

Witnesses recounted the horror of the attack, noting that explosions occurred every minute. Bodies were seen strewn across the refugee camp, with many victims displaced for the third time and unsure where to seek shelter.

The Israeli army stated that they attacked the Nuseirat camp to free four hostages and claimed that one of their officers was killed during the operation. In contrast, Hamas reported that Israeli forces killed more hostages in the operation at Nuseirat, though they have not disclosed the exact number.

Gaza's Health Ministry is struggling to cope with the large number of injured. Al-Aqsa Hospital is facing severe shortages of food and medicine, and its main generator is not operational due to a lack of fuel. A spokesman for the ministry noted that many bodies and injured individuals remain on the streets.

Since the beginning of the Israeli offensive on Gaza on October 7, the Health Ministry of Hamas-controlled Gaza reports that approximately 37,000 Palestinians have been killed and about 84,000 have been injured.

The ongoing conflict continues to raise international concern about the humanitarian crisis and the safety of civilians in Gaza.