Live updates | Hospitals in Gaza are devastated after 5 months of Israel's war against Hamas

The war between Israel and Hamas, now in its fifth month, has devastated hospitals in the Gaza Strip, with less than half of them only partially functioning as Israel's daily bombardments kill and wound scores of people. Israel accuses the militants of using hospitals and other civilian buildings as cover.

Palestinians began evacuating the main hospital in the southern Gaza town of Khan Younis, according to videos shared by medics on Wednesday. The Israeli military said it had opened a secure route to allow civilians to leave the hospital, while medics and patients could remain inside.

The number of Palestinians killed during the war in Gaza has surpassed 28,000 people, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza. A quarter of Gaza’s residents are starving.

The United States, which has provided crucial military and diplomatic support to Israel, has been working with Qatar and Egypt to try and broker a cease-fire and the return of the remaining 130 Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, around a fourth of whom are believed to be dead.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed Hamas for making unrealistic demands during cease-fire negotiations in Cairo. His remarks late Wednesday came hours after local media reported Netanyahu ordered an Israeli delegation not to return to the talks.

The war began with Hamas’ assault into Israel on Oct. 7, in which militants killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250.

Currently:

— A look at the arsenals of Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia as cross-border strikes escalate

— Airstrike during Israeli hostage rescue wipes out an entire Palestinian family in a Gaza border town

— Leaders of Turkey and Egypt unite in efforts to stop Israel’s looming offensive in Gaza’s Rafah

— Families of Israeli hostages visit international court to urge the arrest of Hamas leaders

— Blasts hit a natural gas pipeline in Iran and an official says it was an act of sabotage

— Find more of AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.

Here's the latest:

CANADA, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND WARN ISRAEL OF RAFAH CATASTROPHE

CANBERRA, Australia — Canada, Australia and New Zealand are warning Israel that a ground offensive in the Gaza border city of Rafah would be catastrophic.

“We are gravely concerned by indications that Israel is planning a ground offensive into Rafah. A military operation into Rafah would be catastrophic,” the prime ministers of the three nations said in a joint statement on Thursday.

With 1.5 million Palestinians taking refuge in the area where there was an already dire humanitarian situation, the impacts on Palestinian civilians from an expanded military operation would be devastating, they said.

“There is growing international consensus. Israel must listen to its friends and it must listen to the international community,” the statement said.

ARAB NATIONS URGE UN SECURITY COUNCIL TO DEMAND GAZA CEASE-FIRE

UNITED NATIONS — The 22 Arab countries at the United Nations are urging the U.N. Security Council to demand an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and unhindered humanitarian assistance, and to prevent any transfer of Palestinians out of the territory.

The Arab Group chair this month, Tunisia’s U.N. Ambassador Tarek Ladeb, told U.N. reporters Wednesday that some 1.5 million Palestinians who sought safety in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah face a “catastrophic scenario” if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu goes ahead with a potential evacuation of civilians and military offensive in the area bordering Egypt.

Algeria, the Arab representative on the Security Council, circulated a draft resolution about two weeks ago demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire and unhindered humanitarian access, as well as rejecting the forced displacement of Palestinian civilians, which has been the subject of intense discussions.

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said last week that the resolution could jeopardize “sensitive negotiations” aimed at achieving a pause in the Israel-Hamas war and release of some hostages taken during Hamas’ surprise Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel.

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, said Wednesday that there is “massive support” for the resolution and Arab diplomats have had “very frank discussions” with the U.S. ambassador, trying to get American support.

“We believe that it is high time now for the Security Council to decide on a humanitarian ceasefire resolution after 131 days,” he said. “The space is narrowing for those who are continuing to ask for more time.”

Some Arab countries were pushing for a vote on the Algerian draft this week, but several Arab and council diplomats said a vote is now likely early next week, giving more time for negotiations with the U.S. to avoid a veto. The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because the discussions have been private.