ANKARA

The Israeli army ordered the evacuation of Kamal Adwan Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip in four hours, according to a Palestinian health official on Thursday.

The hospital in Beit Lahia city is the only remaining health facility in the northern Gaza Strip.

The Israeli army has slapped a siege around the hospital since Tuesday and arrested its director Ahmed al-Kahlout and members of the medical staff.

“The [Israeli] occupation has given us four hours to evacuate the hospital on claims that the facility is being used by Hamas for military purposes,” Munir al-Bursh, Director-General of Gaza’s Health Ministry, said in a statement.

Israel has bombarded the Gaza Strip from the air and land, imposed a siege, and mounted a ground offensive in retaliation for a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 18,608 Palestinians have been killed and 50,594 injured in the Israeli onslaught since then, according to Gaza’s health authorities.

Nearly 1,200 people are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack, while around 139 hostages remain in captivity.