The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) denied Hamas accusations that Israeli troops set fire to Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, asserting that a small fire in an empty hospital building was unrelated to military activities and was quickly controlled.

Axar.az, citing The Times of Israel, reports that IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani criticized the circulation of unverified reports, while Hamas alleged that Israeli forces forcibly evacuated and humiliated patients and staff, claims supported by unverified social media footage.

Arab states, including Jordan, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, condemned Israel’s actions, calling them violations of international law. Jordan labeled the incident a "flagrant violation," and the UAE decried the "reprehensible destruction" of Gaza’s health system.

The IDF acknowledged ongoing operations against Hamas near the hospital, stating it facilitated evacuations to reduce civilian harm and denied entering the hospital complex.

Israel maintains that Hamas has used hospitals as military strongholds, noting international law allows targeting such facilities when militarized.

The conflict continues as Israel intensifies its offensive in northern Gaza to dismantle Hamas, which it accuses of using civilians and hospitals as shields. Israel’s actions follow Hamas’s October 2023 attack, which killed over 1,200 Israelis and resulted in 251 hostages. Since then, Israel has reported killing 18,000 Hamas combatants.