DEIR-AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israel struck a hospital in northern Gaza early Sunday, forcing patients to evacuate as attacks intensified.

The pre-dawn strike hit Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, after Israel issued an evacuation warning, according to Gaza's ministry of health. One patient, a girl, died during the evacuation because medical staff were unable to provide urgent care, it said.

Hospital director Dr. Fadel Naim said the emergency room, pharmacy and surrounding buildings were severely damaged, affecting over 100 patients and dozens of staff. He said in a post on X they had been warned in advance.

One patient, a girl, died during the evacuation because staff were unable to provide urgent care, Gaza's Health Ministry said.

Strikes on Palm Sunday

The hospital is run by the the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, which condemned the attack in a statement, saying it happened on “Palm Sunday, the start of the Holy Week, the most sacred week of the Christian year.” Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.

Israel said it struck a command and control center used by Hamas at the hospital to plan and execute attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers, without providing evidence. It said prior to the strike, steps were taken to mitigate harm, including issuing warnings, and using precise munitions and aerial surveillance.

In a statement Sunday, Hamas denied the allegations that the hospital was used by militants and called for an independent international investigation.

Hours later, a separate strike on a car in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, killed at least seven people — six brothers and their friend — according to staff at the morgue of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, which received the bodies. The brothers, of whom the youngest was 10, were buried in Deir al-Balah.

Their father, Ibrahim Abu Mahadi, said his sons worked for a charity that distributes food to Palestinians in Gaza. "For what sin were they killed?” he said.

Associated Press reporters saw the mangled, bloodied car after the attack as relatives wept over the bodies.

Another strike in Deir al-Balah, on a municipal building Sunday afternoon, killed at least three people, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, and in the southern city of Khan Younis, a strike killed at least three people,said staff at Nasser Hospital, which received the bodies.

The Israeli military also said they targeted another command and control center in the area of Deir al-Balah when many Hamas militants were present and planning to carry out an attack against Israeli soldiers. This was not connected to the strike on the car in the same area, which the army said it was looking into.

In the last 24 hours, Gaza’s health ministry said that 11 people were killed and more than 100 wounded.

The war started after Hamas killed 1,200 people during its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, mostly civilians, and took 250 people captive, many of whom were eventually freed in ceasefire deals.

More than 50,000 Palestinians in Gaza have so far been killed in Israel’s retaliatory offensive, according to the health ministry there, which does not differentiate between combatants and civilians in its count but says more than half of the dead are women and children.

Charity workers killed

Hours later, a strike on a car in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza killed at least seven people including six brothers, according to staff at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, which received the bodies. The youngest brother was 10.

Their father, Ibrahim Abu Mahadi, said his sons worked for a charity that distributes food to Palestinians. "For what sin were they killed?” he said.

AP reporters saw the mangled, bloodied car as relatives wept over the bodies.

An airstrike Sunday afternoon hit a house in the urban Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza, killing at least seven people including two women, according to the Indonesian hospital, which received the bodies. A pregnant woman was rescued from the rubble.

Another strike in Deir al-Balah hit a municipal building Sunday afternoon and killed at least three people, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. In Khan Younis, a strike killed at least three people, according to staff at Nasser Hospital.

Israel's military said in a statement it had struck over 90 militant targets over the past 48 hours including command and control centers, tunnels and weapons. The military also said it had intercepted a projectile fired from Gaza.

The war started when Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, during an Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel and took 250 people captive. Many were eventually freed in ceasefire deals.

Israeli authorities have vowed to pressure Hamas to release the remaining 59 hostages, 24 believed to be alive, and accept proposed new ceasefire terms. It cut off all supplies to Gaza over a month ago.

More than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory offensive, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between combatants and civilians in its count but says more than half of the dead have been women and children.