‘This horror must end’: WHO condemns Israeli assault on key Gaza hospital

The World Health Organization has condemned Israel’s storming of a captious hospital successful bluish Gaza, saying assaults connected aesculapian facilities are a “death sentence” for thousands of Palestinians and that “this fearfulness indispensable end”.

An Israeli subject assault connected the Kamal Adwan Hospital connected Friday enactment the past large wellness installation successful bluish Gaza retired of service, the WHO said.

“Initial reports bespeak that immoderate cardinal departments were severely burned and destroyed during the raid,” the WHO said successful a connection connected X connected Friday evening.

The Israeli subject said successful a connection that it had launched a raid connected the Kamal Adwan Hospital arsenic it “serves arsenic a Hamas violent stronghold”, but failed to supply evidence. Hamas said it “categorically” denied the claims.

As of Friday morning, the infirmary housed astir 350 people, including 75 patients, on with 180 aesculapian staff.

The WHO said 60 wellness workers and 25 patients successful captious condition, including those connected ventilators, reportedly stay successful the hospital.

The patients successful mean to terrible information were forced to evacuate to the destroyed and non-functional Indonesian Hospital, the United Nations wellness bureau said, adding that it was “deeply acrophobic for their safety”.

The WHO reiterated its telephone for a ceasefire.

“This raid connected Kamal Adwan Hospital comes aft escalating restrictions connected entree for WHO and partners, and repeated attacks connected oregon adjacent the installation since aboriginal October,” the WHO said.

“Such hostilities and the raids are undoing each our efforts and enactment to support the installation minimal functional. The systematic dismantling of the wellness strategy successful Gaza is simply a decease condemnation for tens of thousands of Palestinians successful request of healthcare.

“This fearfulness indispensable extremity and healthcare indispensable beryllium protected.”

This morning’s raid connected Kamal Adwan Hospital has enactment this past large wellness installation successful North #Gaza retired of service. Initial reports bespeak that immoderate cardinal departments were severely burnt and destroyed during the raid.

60 wellness workers and 25 patients successful captious condition,… pic.twitter.com/bD5eJgnVkR

— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) December 27, 2024

Israel’s subject began a renewed crushed violative successful bluish Gaza successful October and claimed, besides without evidence, that the infirmary had go “a cardinal stronghold for violent organisations and continues to beryllium utilized arsenic a hideout for violent operatives”.

Before initiating the latest onslaught connected the hospital, the Israeli subject said its soldiers had “facilitated the unafraid evacuation of civilians, patients, and aesculapian personnel”.

Hamas denied its fighters were contiguous successful the hospital, and urged the UN to acceptable up an probe committee “to analyse the standard of transgression being committed successful bluish Gaza”.

“We categorically contradict the beingness of immoderate subject enactment oregon absorption fighters successful the hospital,” Hamas said successful a statement.

“The enemy’s lies astir the infirmary purpose to warrant the heinous transgression committed by the concern service today, involving the evacuation and burning of each infirmary departments arsenic portion of a program for extermination and forced displacement.”

Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut said the Israeli subject has often accused Hamas fighters of operating from aesculapian facilities, but has ne'er proven these claims.

“Most notable was the raid connected al-Shifa Hospital backmost successful 2023 erstwhile the subject said Hamas was utilizing al-Shifa arsenic a bid and power centre, claims that to this time person inactive ne'er been proven,” she said, reporting from Amman, Jordan, due to the fact that Al Jazeera has been banned from operating successful Israel and the occupied West Bank.

“Now, Kamal Adwan was the past functioning infirmary successful bluish Gaza, but again, it was hardly functioning due to the fact that of the siege that was enactment guardant by Israeli forces – a siege connected food, water, and each different sorts of aesculapian supplies.”

The Palestinian Health Ministry successful the Hamas-run territory quoted infirmary manager Dr Hussam Abu Safia arsenic saying that the subject had “set connected occurrence each country departments of the hospital”.

Abu Safia said determination were “a ample fig of injuries” among the aesculapian team.

On Thursday, Abu Safia said 5 unit members had been killed successful an Israeli aerial attack.

Israel’s battle has killed much than 45,300 Palestinians since October past year, mostly children and women, according to wellness officials successful the enclave. The immense bulk of Gaza’s 2.3 cardinal radical person been displaced and overmuch of Gaza is successful ruins.

In caller days, Abu Safia has repeatedly raised concerns astir the hospital’s situation.

“The satellite indispensable recognize that our infirmary is being targeted with the intent to termination and forcibly displace the radical inside,” helium said successful a connection connected Monday.

Source

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Al Jazeera and quality agencies