Gaza Genocide Worsens: Hospitals Shut Down, 150+ Martyrs in 24H

By Al Mayadeen English

18 May 2025 21:26

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens as over 150 are martyred, hospitals in northern Gaza go out of service, and "Israel" escalates ground and air assaults on civilians and infrastructure.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached catastrophic levels as "Israel" intensifies its ground and aerial aggression across the northern and southern parts of the besieged enclave.

Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Civil Defense in Gaza, told Al Mayadeen that the situation in the Gaza Strip is “catastrophic”, confirming that more than 150 Palestinians were martyred since dawn.

Basal said the assaults have been heavily focused on the north, particularly in areas already struggling with massive displacement and destruction, adding that Israeli drones directly targeted displaced civilians, further worsening the humanitarian crisis.

Gaza’s ambulance system on verge of collapse

The ambulance system in Gaza is rapidly collapsing, according to Basal, who further stressed that 75% of emergency vehicles are no longer operable due to the ongoing fuel crisis, leaving thousands without access to emergency medical care.

He also described worsening conditions on the ground, saying, "The starvation strategy continues, and thousands of citizens sleep without being able to eat even a small piece of bread."

Three massacres in hours, death toll expected to rise

Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Gaza reported that the toll of three massacres carried out by the IOF could reach 150 martyrs and others injured.

According to our correspondent, Israeli forces are directly targeting hospitals in Gaza City, in clear violation of international humanitarian norms.

Hospitals in northern Gaza forced out of service

The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia is now completely out of service, following the IOF siege.

This development marks a critical point in the ongoing Gaza hospital shutdown, as all public hospitals in northern Gaza are now non-operational. The ministry stated that continuous shelling around the hospital, as well as blocking access to patients, medical teams, and supplies, forced its closure.

With the destruction of Beit Hanoun Hospital, the shutdown of Kamal Adwan Hospital, and now the Indonesian Hospital, the healthcare system in northern Gaza has completely collapsed.

Earlier on Sunday, the Ministry revealed that the Israeli military was surrounding the Indonesian Hospital and firing live rounds at anyone moving within its vicinity.

Civilian exodus as airstrikes target homes, displaced

Airstrikes also targeted al-Manshiyah Street in Beit Lahia, killing one woman and injuring others after a residential home was bombed in al-Faluja in Jabalia refugee camp.

Meanwhile, northern areas of the Gaza Strip are witnessing mass displacement, as residents flee intensified bombardments.

In the southern Gaza Strip, one Palestinian was martyred in an airstrike on al-Fukhari, southeast of Khan Younis, according to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent.

This surge in violence comes just as the IOF announced the beginning of a ground offensive on both northern and southern Gaza, further escalating an already dire humanitarian disaster.