US President Joe Biden has called on Israel to safeguard primary hospital in Gaza amidst intense clashes between Israeli forces and Hamas near the facility. While signing a women’s health research initiative with First Lady Jill Biden in the Oval Office, President Biden expressed his hope for less intrusive actions concerning the hospital. He emphasized the importance of protecting the medical center and confirmed ongoing communication with Israeli authorities regarding the matter.

The President revealed that negotiations, facilitated by Qatar, were underway for the “release of prisoners.” However, the situation in the Al-Shifa hospital complex, as described by a surgeon from Doctors Without Borders (MSF), remains dire. Hundreds of people are reportedly enduring inhuman conditions within the complex.

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Israel contends that Hamas has established its military headquarters beneath the Al-Shifa hospital, an accusation denied by the armed group. Conversely, UN agencies and doctors within the facility raised concerns about lives being lost due to a lack of generator fuel, impacting even infants. The World Health Organization reported that, as of early Monday, approximately 2,300 individuals, including patients, health workers, and those fleeing conflict, were inside the compromised Al-Shifa facility.

Regrettably, the Palestinian health ministry spokesperson, Ashraf al-Qudra, confirmed that at least 32 patients, including six premature babies, had succumbed to the conditions at the hospital since Friday. Tragically, three nurses also lost their lives, as reported by the UN relief agency in the occupied Palestinian territory on Sunday.

Israel’s military, on the other hand, disclosed on Monday that its soldiers had uncovered a weapons cache in a tunnel linked to Rantissi Hospital, a children’s treatment facility in northern Gaza. The military shared a video showcasing what it claimed to be grenades, suicide vests, and other explosives found in the tunnel.

The complexities of the situation underscore the urgency of addressing humanitarian concerns amid the ongoing conflict, with global leaders closely monitoring developments and advocating for the protection of civilian spaces like hospitals.