IDF says no operations were ongoing near Gaza hospital when 10 were reportedly killed on Sunday

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has responded to claims that 10 people were killed close to the Kamal Adwan hospital in northern Gaza on Sunday night.

On Monday, the head of pediatrics at the medical center told CNN a strike had targeted the northern entrance of the facility, and 10 people had been killed.

CNN was unable to confirm the cause of the explosion and reached out to the IDF for a comment on strikes in the vicinity of the hospital.

In response, the IDF said “contrary to claims, Kamal Adwan Hospital was not attacked by IDF forces at the time in question," adding "the IDF did not ask the hospital to evacuate.”

The IDF also said that a “few days ago, hospital officials contacted IDF representatives and asked to coordinate an evacuation. The IDF responded positively to the request.”

It's unclear why an evacuation did not take place.

Several people at the hospital claimed that people trying to leave had been shot at.

In an audio message sent from the hospital to CNN, a journalist inside the facility, Mahmoud Al-Sabbah, said the facility was surrounded.

“The situation is very dangerous and [there is] heavy fire gunfire. The Israeli tanks and vehicles are advancing towards the hospital and are one block away,” Al-Sabbah said. As he spoke, heavy fire could be heard in the background.

Witnesses described the situation in the hospital as very difficult, with dozens of bodies lying outside in a hospital courtyard. There are also several thousand displaced people at the hospital, which is in an area that has seen extensive Israeli military operations since the end of the seven-day truce last Friday. 

CNN has contacted hospital authorities seeking their response