“The fate of everyone at the hospital is unknown to us,” said Yousef Abu al-Rish, the deputy health minister in the territory, who is based in southern Gaza. “We’ve tried to call them in every way possible and we haven’t been able to reach them.”

Mr. Abu al-Rish said that he last had phone contact with the hospital on Thursday night, when he was told that Israeli forces were bombarding the area and tanks were approaching the hospital.