GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories (AFP)— The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Friday that 24 patients have died in the past two days at Al-Shifa hospital owing to power cuts, as Israeli forces search the facility for Hamas hideouts.

“Twenty-four patients in different departments have died over the last 48 hours as vital medical equipment has stopped functioning because of the power outage,” said ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra.

On Monday, the ministry said 27 adult intensive care patients and seven babies had already died as Gaza’s largest hospital ran out of fuel to run its generators.

The health facility has become the focus of Israel’s war against Hamas, with Israel alleging Islamist fighters are using a tunnel complex beneath the hospital to stage their attacks.

Hamas has repeatedly denied the claims.

But Israeli special forces have been combing through the facility since Wednesday, and claim to have found evidence the hostages seized by Hamas in their October 7 attacks on south Israel were held there.

The Hamas health ministry said the raid has destroyed medical services in the hospital, where the UN estimated 2,300 patients, staff and displaced Palestinians were sheltering before Israeli troops moved in.