Gaza, Dec 20 (IANS): The Health Ministry in Gaza has said that the Israeli army transformed the "Al Awda" hospital in the northern Gaza Strip into a "military barracks" and grounded 240 people inside it.

Ashraf Al-Qedra, the Ministry spokesman, said on Tuesday in a press statement that 80 medical staff, 40 patients and 120 displaced people are being forced to stay inside the hospital without water, food or medicine.

Al-Qedra added that the Israeli forces arrested six hospital staff, including its director Ahmed Muhanna in addition to a patient and a companion, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the WHO, only eight out of the 36 hospitals throughout Gaza are operational and able to accept new patients, and the services are limited.

The two main hospitals in southern Gaza are operating at three times their clinical capacity while facing severe shortages of basic supplies and fuel. In addition, these hospitals provide shelter to thousands of displaced people.

Since October 7, Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip after the latter's unprecedented attack on southern Israel, which claimed the lives of about 1,200 Israelis, according to the Israeli authorities.