Israeli strike near Gaza's Kamal Adwan hospital kills at least 29: Civil defence

Gaza's civil defence agency said 29 people were killed on Friday by Israeli strikes around a major hospital in the northern city of Beit Lahia.

Kamal Adwan hospital, one of northern Gaza's last functioning health centres, was hit by several strikes in the morning, the agency and the hospital director said.

"There was a series of air strikes on the northern and western sides of the hospital, accompanied by intense and direct fire," hospital director Hossam Abu Safieh told AFP, adding that four staff were killed.

Mahmud Bassal, the civil defence agency's spokesman, said, "At least 29 people were killed and dozens were wounded... since dawn on Friday as a result of the continuing Israeli shelling around Kamal Adwan hospital."

The Israeli military denied having hit the hospital or operating near it, saying it is operating "against terror infrastructure and terrorists" in areas including some "adjacent" to the hospital.