Israeli double strike on Gaza hospital - what we know

Background

The Israeli military targeted a Gaza hospital on Wednesday, killing at least six people and wounding at least 30 others, according to local officials. The strike on the Al-Jawda Hospital in the northern city of Gaza City was part of an escalating series of attacks against the Hamas-governed territory that began earlier this month.

The attack

The Israeli military claimed that the hospital was being used for military training and that the strike was in response to a series of missile attacks launched from Gaza earlier on Wednesday. According to the Israeli military, "in response to the severe and irresponsible increase in terrorist activities emanating from within Gaza," troops "carried out a series of precision strikes against terrorist facilities deep within the Gaza Strip."

The aftermath

The Hamas-led government in Gaza has called the strike a war crime, and the incident has heightened tensions between Israel and Palestinian militant groups. The attack has also prompted international condemnation, with the United Nations and several countries denouncing the strike on a medical facility.

The context

The strike on Gaza comes as Israel's new far-right government has stepped up operations against the Hamas-governed territory, carrying out daily raids and attacks on militants. The Hamas government has responded with rocket attacks, launching nearly 100 rockets into southern Israel since the beginning of the month.