In brief
The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised alarms over escalating attacks on hospitals in Gaza, emphasizing the critical need for medical care for civilians amidst ongoing military operations.
In the latest appeal from the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has implored an immediate cessation of assaults on hospitals in Gaza, describing them as "battlegrounds" under dire threat. The urgency of this call follows violent incidents involving the last operational hospital, Kamal Adwan, which was forcibly evacuated and raided by Israeli military forces. Reports indicate that two hospitals in Gaza City were struck, despite the Israeli military claiming involvement due to alleged Hamas operations occurring there. Dr. Ghebreyesus joined human rights advocates in demanding the release of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan, who was detained amid operations labeled as targeting Hamas militants. A statement from the Israeli military identified Dr. Abu Safiya as a suspected operative, a claim contested by medical organizations and dismissed by Hamas as untrue. Critics argue that detaining medical staff violates international law designed to protect those providing healthcare in conflict-zones.With Kamal Adwan rendered non-operational, critically ill patients have been transferred to the Indonesian hospital, which is also severely impacted and lacks adequate medical resources. Prior reports mention the WHO’s basic humanitarian efforts delivering supplies and supporting the transfer of patients to al-Shifa Hospital, yet continue to shed light on the risks to healthcare personnel and the civilian population.Recent attacks on medical facilities have raised alarms, with the al-Ahli and al-Wafa hospitals experiencing bombings. Casualties were reported from the latest airstrike at the al-Wafa hospital, despite the military asserting that it targeted Hamas fighters using the building at the time. Witness accounts reveal the chaos of evacuating civilians and medical staff amid strikes, highlighting the dire state of safety within hospital grounds.The International Committee of the Red Cross has reiterated the necessity for adherence to established protections for medical facilities and personnel, underlining the critical need for humanitarian access within Gaza to provide necessary support to civilians.As the conflict rages on following the Hamas attack in October, where over 1,200 Israelis were killed, it is reported that the ensuing violence has left over 45,540 individuals dead in Gaza. The WHO's call for respect of medical operations in ongoing hostilities underscores a deeper humanitarian crisis, awaiting global attention and urgent intervention for the sake of civilian lives.
