Israeli forces have detained and interrogated medical personnel after evacuating the Kamal Adwan Hospital, the last major healthcare facility in northern Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the hospital’s director, was among those questioned by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), which accused him of being a “Hamas terrorist operative,” though no evidence has been publicly provided.

On Friday, an estimated 50 people, including medical staff, were killed in Israeli airstrikes near the hospital, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The IDF stated that its operation targeted the hospital as it was allegedly being used as a “Hamas terrorist stronghold.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 15 critically ill patients, along with 50 caregivers and 20 health workers, were transferred to the nearby Indonesian Hospital. The WHO expressed outrage over the raid, noting that the closure of Kamal Adwan Hospital leaves the region without a functioning major healthcare facility.

Eid Sabbah, head of the hospital’s nursing department, said the military ordered the evacuation early Friday morning, giving staff just 15 minutes to move patients and personnel into the courtyard before Israeli troops entered the building and evacuated the remaining individuals.

The IDF stated it had ensured the safe evacuation of patients and medical staff before beginning its operation. It also claimed to have confiscated weapons and apprehended 240 combatants, asserting that intelligence had identified the hospital as a Hamas command center.

The city of Beit Lahia, where the hospital is located, has faced severe restrictions under an Israeli blockade since October. The UN has described the area as being under a “near-total siege,” with limited aid reaching the estimated 10,000 to 15,000 residents.

Hospital administrators had repeatedly called for international protection, alleging frequent targeting by Israeli shelling. In response, the IDF and Israeli Security Agency claimed the hospital was being used by Hamas for military purposes.

The IDF reported that Dr. Abu Safiya, among others, was detained for questioning on suspicion of involvement in Hamas activities. Gaza’s deputy health minister, Dr. Yousef Abu-Al Rish, alleged that around 100 medical staff members were being interrogated, with some reportedly subjected to psychological pressure.

The WHO plans an urgent mission to assess the Indonesian Hospital, where patients have been relocated, as concerns grow over its lack of adequate medical infrastructure. “It’s more of a shelter than a hospital,” Dr. Abu-Al Rish stated.

Hamas has called on the United Nations to intervene and protect Gaza’s remaining healthcare facilities, urging the deployment of UN observers to assess the situation.