Israel has agreed to a humanitarian ceasefire and opened a field hospital to provide medical care to injured Palestinian civilians.
Early afternoon on Sunday, the IDF announced the establishment of a field hospital at the Erez Crossing in order to supply medical assistance and humanitarian care to Palestinians from Gaza. The hospital will include an emergency clinic, pediatrician and gynecology services, a delivery room and hospitalization when needed. The staff will include doctors, nurses, x-ray technicians and lab technicians.
Lieutenant General Benjamin (Benny) Gantz, IDF Chief of Staff, approved the plan following the recommendation of Major General Yoav Mordechai, coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories.
The hospital, in coordination with the liaison department of the Erez crossing – the pedestrian and cargo terminal at the border between Israel and Gaza – will open at 8 pm Sunday.
Hamas is experiencing serious damage to its terror infrastructure and heavy casualties due to Israel’s Operation Protective Edge. Israel accepted the request for a temporary humanitarian ceasefire, which takes effect for two hours Sunday afternoon, during which injured Palestinians from Shuja’iya in northern Gaza will be evacuated for treatment. Israel warned, however, that it will not tolerate any attempt by Hamas to violate the ceasefire.
The IDF had urged civilians in northern Gaza to flee the area last week on Thursday before intensifying the operation against the terror regime in Gaza. Hamas, however, had urged them to remain in the area and has been using the local population as human shields when firing missiles at Israeli civilians.
Written by: United with Israel Staff