Construction to begin on new American hospital in Gaza under Israel ceasefire deal

The move is part of a ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas earlier this year.

The equipment is funded by a private American medical organisation and will be managed by an international medical team, The Jerusalem Post reported.

Egypt reportedly exerted pressure on Hamas to cease any protests in order to ensure the equipment could be delivered without any difficulties. 

Palestinian sources told The Jerusalem Post that Qatari and German medical terms arrived in Gaza under the auspices of the ceasefire agreement - which was brokered by the United Nations, Egypt and Qatar.

The hospital will "ease the suffering of our people in the Gaza Strip, support the health sector and provide medical services to the residents", Qanou added in comments cited by The Jerusalem Post.

Hamas spokesperson Abdel Latif Qanou said that the start of hospital construction, which is expected to start in the next few days, was "one of the fruits" of the weekly protests near the border with Israel.

The four-hectare international hospital campus is based near the Erez Crossing and reportedly has the blessing of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh announced in June that the hospital, as well as a power line, make up two industrial zones built as part of a truce between Hamas and Israel.

Earlier in June, a Qatari delegation delivered $20 million in cash to Gaza with the aim to kick start the new power line project.

Under a fragile ceasefire brokered by Egyptian and UN officials following a severe flare-up in May, Israel is meant to ease aspects of its blockade on the strip in exchange for relative calm.

At least 308 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in Gaza since major protests began along the border fence in March 2018.

Most were killed during the protests and clashes but others died in air strikes or tank fire in response to violence from the strip.

Seven Israelis have been killed in this time.

Israel strictly controls the two crossings in Gaza and has enforced a siege since 2007, shortly after Hamas took control of the coastal strip.

UN officials and rights activists have repeatedly called for Israel to lift the blockade against Gaza, citing deteriorating humanitarian conditions.

The coastal enclave suffers from a severe lack of electricity and relies on fuel-powered generators during outages that last hours at a time.

Israel insists its blockade is necessary to isolate Hamas, with which it has fought three wars since 2008, scarring the besieged enclave.

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Critics say it amounts to collective punishment of the coastal enclave's two million residents. 

The UN says Gaza will be uninhabitable by 2020, but human rights organisations say Gaza has reached inhabitability now.

Agencies contributed to this report.