Israel-Hamas latest updates: 12 killed at hospital in Gaza surrounded by IDF tanks
Israel claims militants fired at its troops from within the Indonesian Hospital, forcing the IDF to retaliate.
Israeli tanks have surrounded a hospital in northern Gaza, with health authorities claiming at least 12 Palestinians have been killed in fighting.
Health officials claimed 700 patients along with staff were under Israeli fire at the Indonesia Hospital, while Palestinian news agency WAFA said the facility in the north-east Gaza town of Beit Lahia had been hit by artillery rounds.
Israel has insisted no shells were fired toward the hospital and said its troops were retaliating to an attack by Hamas militants.
World Health Organization chief Tedros Ghebreyesus said he was "appalled" by the attack on the hospital, which is funded by Jakarta.
Indonesia's foreign minister Retno Marsudi, appeared to squarely lay the blame at Israel's fault, describing it as a "clear violation of international humanitarian laws" and urging Israel to "stop its atrocities".
In response to a question about the hospital, the IDF said troops had fired back at fighters in the hospital while taking "numerous measures to minimise harm" to non-combatants.
"Overnight, terrorists opened fire from within the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza toward IDF troops operating outside the hospital," the military said. "In response, IDF troops directly targeted the specific source of enemy fire. No shells were fired toward the hospital."
It follows an Israeli raid on Shifa hospital - Gaza's largest - launched last week by troops in search of what it believed to be a command centre used by Hamas.
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