Gaza babies evacuated to Egypt as Hamas reports deadly hospital strike

PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES — Twenty-eight premature babies were evacuated from war-devastated Gaza to Egypt on Monday as the Hamas-run health ministry accused Israel of a deadly strike on the territory's Indonesian Hospital.

While fighting raged, negotiators worked to seal a deal for the release of some of the roughly 240 hostages the Islamist militants took during their unprecedented October 7 attacks on Israel.

The Gaza health ministry charged that Israel's army killed at least 12 people in the strike on the Indonesian Hospital in the Palestinian territory's north, where entire city blocks have been reduced to rubble.

Those killed included patients, said Ashraf al-Qudra, a spokesman for the ministry.

Hamas authorities have reported a total death toll of more than 13,300, mostly civilians, from the Israel-Hamas war now in its seventh week.

Late Monday, Qudra said about 100 patients had so far been evacuated from the Indonesian Hospital, in coordination with the Red Cross.

Hundreds remained inside but efforts continued to move them to hospitals in southern Gaza, Qudra added.

Israel did not immediately comment.

The military pushed on with its withering air and ground campaign aimed at destroying Hamas in response to the October 7 attacks that officials said killed around 1,200 people, when the militants broke through Gaza's militarised border.

"We are witnessing a killing of civilians that is unparallelled and unprecedented in any conflict since I am Secretary-General," said United Nations chief Antonio Guterres.

More than 2.4 million Palestinians are trapped in Gaza and only several hundred war-wounded, foreign nationals and dual passport holders have been allowed out.

On Monday the UN World Health Organization said 28 premature babies evacuated from Gaza's biggest hospital, Al-Shifa, had been taken to safety in Egypt through the Rafah crossing, revising down by one a number given by Egyptian media.

"All babies are fighting serious infections and continue needing health care," the WHO said, while the Israeli army said it had "helped facilitate" the transfer.

In Israel's commercial centre, Tel Aviv, the families of Israeli children held hostage by Hamas were among