ISRAELI forces raided one of the last functioning hospitals in Gaza’s north today and bombarded the south with air strikes that killed at least 28 Palestinians.

The intensified attacks by the Israelis comes as the United Nations security council delayed a vote on a new resolution demanding a ceasefire.

After meeting senior Israeli officials on a visit to the region on Monday, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said he was “not here to dictate timelines or terms.”

His remarks signalled that the US would continue shielding Israel from growing international calls for an end to the killing and would keep providing vital military aid for one of the 21st century’s deadliest military campaigns.

Israeli forces raided the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City in the early hours of Tuesday, according to the church that operates it, destroying a wall at its front entrance and detaining most of its staff.

Don Binder, a pastor at St George’s Anglican Cathedral, which runs the hospital, said the raid left just two doctors, four nurses and two caretakers to tend to over 100 seriously wounded patients, with no running water or electricity.

“It has been a great mercy for the many wounded in Gaza City that we were able to keep our hospital open for so long,” Mr Binder posted on Facebook late on Monday. “That ended today.”

He said that an Israeli tank was parked at the hospital’s entrance, blocking anyone from entering or leaving.

Forces have raided other hospitals across Gaza, accusing Hamas of using them for military purposes. Hospital staff have denied the allegations and accused Israel of endangering critically ill and wounded civilians.

The UN security council delayed a vote on an Arab-sponsored resolution calling for a halt to hostilities to allow unhindered access to humanitarian aid. 

The vote, expected to take place on Tuesday after diplomats said negotiations were taking place to get the US to abstain or vote Yes on the resolution after it vetoed an earlier call for a ceasefire.

France, Britain and Germany, some of Israel’s closest allies, joined global calls for a ceasefire over the weekend.