GAZA CITY, Palestine

The Health Ministry in Gaza on Friday said the Israeli army is besieging the Kamal Adwan Hospital in the northern the Gaza Strip and opening fire towards the hospital.

In a statement, the ministry said the Israeli army snipers are taking positions in the surrounding buildings of the hospital and shooting towards patients' rooms.

"The medical staff and injured people are with no food, water and medical treatment," the statement also said.

It urged all relevant international bodies to protect the hospital and the people inside, and to ensure providing them with water, food and proper medical treatment.

Early on Friday, the Health Ministry spokesman, Ashraf al-Qudra, said the Israeli army is committing "ethnic cleansing crimes in northern areas of the Gaza Strip," and intentionally attacking hospitals to put them out of service.

Israel resumed its military offensive on the Gaza Strip on Dec. 1 after the end of a week-long humanitarian pause with Palestinian group Hamas.

At least 17,487 Palestinians have been killed and more than 46,480 others injured in relentless air and ground attacks on the enclave since Oct. 7 following a cross-border attack by Hamas.

The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stands at 1,200, according to official figures.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar