Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has overruled an order by his defence minister to build a field hospital in Israel to treat sick Gaza children, AFP reports.

The decision is a new sign of divisions within Netanyahu’s ruling coalition over its handling of the fighting in Gaza in the face of persistent international criticism of the high civilian toll.

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant announced this week that he had ordered the building of a “temporary hospital” in Israel to treat sick children from Gaza.

But the prime minister’s office has announced suddenly that Netanyahu “does not approve the establishment of a hospital for Gazans within Israeli territory — therefore, it will not be established”.

An Israeli official told AFP the defence ministry first asked the prime minister’s office two weeks ago “to speed up the evacuation of patients, especially sick children”, from Gaza.

“No response was received, so the minister issued an order to the army to establish a field hospital within Israeli territory as an immediate solution for sick children.

“The prime minister cancelled the order and, for political reasons, blocked a humanitarian solution,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.