GAZA CITY, Palestine 

The Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital for cancer patients in Gaza has been severely damaged by Israeli airstrikes, the enclave’s Health Ministry announced early Monday.

"A state of panic afflicts cancer patients and medical staff as a result of the heavy Israeli bombardment of the only Turkish Friendship Hospital for cancer patients in the Gaza Strip and the infliction of severe damage to it as a result of the Israeli occupation repeatedly targeting its surroundings," Dr. Subhi Skaik, the director general of the hospital, said on Facebook.

"The occupation not only increased the suffering and pain of cancer patients and deprived them of medicines and travel for treatment abroad, but it now endangered their lives by targeting the hospital surroundings," he added.

The Turkish government funded the construction of the hospital from 2011-2017, which is the largest hospital in Palestine with an area of 34,800 square meters comprising six floors and with a capacity of 180 beds.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat