The facility was the only dedicated oncology hospital in Gaza, amid a widespread shutdown of the medical sector in the Strip, where 80% of all hospitals are out of service.
Mar 21, 2025
Israeli occupation forces (IOF) rigged and demolished a specialized hospital for cancer in Gaza on Friday, as “Israel” continues to ramp up its attacks on the Strip, which have killed hundreds and injured thousands.
The IOF demolished the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, which was completed in 2017 and was the only hospital in Gaza dedicated to cancer patients.
During the Israeli war on Gaza, the hospital was shut down after being hit by an airstrike, and the IOF later converted it to a military base.
“جيش” الاحتلال ينسف مبنى مستشفى الصداقة التركي لمرضى السرطان وسط قطاع #غزة.#الميادين pic.twitter.com/NfAhQiedxi
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) March 21, 2025
Multiple social media posts and commentators describe the demolition as a war crime, pointing out that it was the only facility available for cancer treatment in Gaza, thereby severely impacting healthcare access for Palestinian cancer patients.
Moreover, the Israeli occupation launched an airstrike from a helicopter on the town of Meghraqa in central Gaza, according to Al Mayadeen‘s correspondent, while Israeli warplanes struck the Rajab al-Attar mosque in the western refugee camp in Rafah, southern Gaza.
This comes as the Ministry of Health in Gaza announced on March 19 evening that over 80% of hospitals and medical centers in the besieged enclave were taken out of service due to relentless Israeli attacks.
Katz explicitly threatens Gaza with genocide, ethnic cleansing
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday threatened the Palestinians in Gaza with the complete destruction of the besieged enclave and signaled the imminent resumption of the forced displacement of its people.
“For Gazans, this is the latest warning … The air force attacks on Hamas were only the first step. What comes next will be much harder, and you will have to pay the price in full. The evacuation of the population from the war zones will soon begin again. If all kidnapped Israelis are not released and Hamas is not forced out of the Gaza Strip, Israel will act with a force you have never seen before,” Katz said in a direct address to the people of Gaza.
The statement signals a further escalation in the Israeli occupation’s brutal onslaught in the Gaza Strip, which has already killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and displaced the overwhelming majority of the enclave’s residents.
Katz also urged Gazans to follow the advice of former US President Donald Trump, claiming that compliance with Israeli demands could lead to alternative “options” for them, including the forced displacement from Gaza permanently.
“Return the kidnapped and get rid of Hamas, then other options will open up for you, including passage to other parts of the world. The alternative is total destruction and devastation,” he added.
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