An Israeli strike hit within yards of Gaza's main hospital on Monday. The attack near Shifa Hospital around 5 p.m. local time (10 a.m. ET) caused some damage to the outpatient clinic, according to witnesses including an NBC News crew on the ground in the area. There was no immediate confirmation of deaths or injuries.
Israel has been criticized for several strikes which hit hospitals in the Gaza Strip during its recent offensive. Last week, charity Medecins Sans Frontieres said health workers in Gaza were coming under fire and urged Israel to stop its strikes. The United Nations also Israel may have committed war crimes by shelling hospitals and civilian houses where it claims Hamas is hiding personnel and rockets.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has urged an immediate halt to violence in Gaza, saying the Palestinian territory is in a "critical condition".
"In the name of humanity, the violence must stop," he told reporters.
Shortly after he spoke, news agencies reported that the compound housing Gaza's main hospital had been hit by an Israeli air strike.
Israel launched an offensive against Hamas militants in the territory three weeks ago after a surge in rocket fire.
Mr Ban, who spoke at UN HQ in New York after returning from a visit to the region, was critical of both sides for firing into civilian areas of the small coastal strip.
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