The Kamal Adwan Hospital, located on the northern edge of Gaza, became the center of international concern on Friday as Israeli forces conducted a raid. According to officials from the Palestinian Health Ministry, dozens of patients and hundreds of others were ordered to evacuate, resulting in parts of the hospital being set ablaze.
Tragically, Israeli strikes in other parts of Gaza have led to the deaths of at least 25 people, including 15 individuals in a single residence in Gaza City, as reported by medics and the civil emergency service.
The Palestinian Health Ministry reported a loss of contact with staff inside the Beit Lahiya hospital, an area under intense pressure from Israeli forces for several weeks. Munir Al-Bursh, the ministry director, stated, \"The occupation forces are inside the hospital now and they are burning it.\"
In response, the Israeli military asserted that it aimed to minimize civilian casualties and had facilitated the safe evacuation of civilians, patients, and medical personnel before the operation. However, no further details were provided.
Youssef Abu El-Rish, the Hamas-appointed deputy health minister, accused Israeli forces of setting fire to the hospital's surgical department, laboratory, and a storehouse. The Palestinian presidency, through the official news agency WAFA, labeled the Israeli actions as a \"serious crime\" and a blatant violation of international laws protecting medical facilities and personnel during wartime.
Additionally, the statement urged international health institutions to enforce agreements safeguarding medical staff, patients, and the injured.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) justified their operation against Kamal Adwan Hospital by citing intelligence that indicated the presence of \"terrorist\" infrastructure and operatives in the hospital's vicinity in Jabalia, northern Gaza. The IDF claimed that the hospital had been used as a stronghold for Hamas terrorist activities throughout the conflict.
Hamas, however, firmly denied any military presence within the hospital. They described the Israeli narrative as \"enemy's lies\" designed to justify what they termed a heinous crime aimed at extermination and forced displacement of Gaza's residents. Hamas also called on the United Nations to establish an investigation committee to examine the extent of the crimes occurring in northern Gaza.
The northern regions of Jabalia, Beit Hanoun, and Beit Lahiya have largely been cleared of inhabitants and systematically destroyed, leading to speculation that Israel intends to maintain a closed buffer zone in the area once hostilities in Gaza cease.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com