Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza out of service as ceasefire talks in Doha under way

Health Ministry says destruction of health system is 'death sentence' for thousands of Palestinians

The Indonesian Hospital pictured on Thursday. Several nearby buildings were damaged in the Israeli attack on Beit Lahia, northern Gaza. Reuters

Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza

Another hospital in northern Gaza has gone out of service following heavy Israeli bombardment, the enclave's Ministry of Health said, saying it will lead to "certain death" for thousands of residents, despite ceasefire negotiations resuming in Doha.

The Indonesian Hospital can "no longer provide services to patients or the wounded", the ministry said, less than 10 days after Kamal Adwan Hospital suffered a similar fate and its director Dr Husam Abu Safiya was arrested. His whereabouts and fate are unknown.

Northern Gaza's three public hospitals – Kamal Adwan, Beit Hanoun and Indonesian – have been forced out of service due to Israel's siege and relentless bombardment, which began on October 5.

"Health is a right guaranteed by all laws and charters," the ministry said. "We call on the international and concerned parties to pressure the occupation to restart the hospital as thousands of residents, including children, pregnant women, patients and the wounded are being deprived of the right to obtain health services and are sentenced to certain death in light of the lack of all the necessities of life."

The World Health Organisation said the lives of 75,000 people were at risk due to the destruction of hospitals in northern Gaza.

This comes as indirect talks resumed in Doha between Israel and Hamas towards a ceasefire in Gaza, where at least 45,717 people have been killed and 108,583 injured since October 7, 2023. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Saturday that a delegation had arrived in Qatar and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had given "detailed instructions for the continued negotiations".

Disputes remain over the release of the remaining hostages from inside Gaza to Israel as Hamas wants to stagger their liberation, while Israel wants at least 30 of the remaining 100 hostages to be freed, sources told The National.

On Saturday, another push for ceasefire talks came through a phone call between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty who also discussed the release of hostages and increase of flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

While Israel mounted its escalations in Gaza, the Houthis also launched attacks there.

Yemen's Houthi rebels have claimed to have struck the Orot Rabin power plant in Israel south of Haifa, hours after Israel claimed to have intercepted a missile attack coming from Houthi territory on Saturday. In a statement, Houthi spokesman Brig gen Yahya Saree said the "Palestine 2" ballistic missile "hit its target successfully".

Neither the Houthi claim of the mission's success nor Israel's of its failure could be verified.