Hospitals in the Gaza Strip have become a “death trap” for Palestinians. In some cases, the intentional destruction of health care infrastructure may be seen as a form of collective punishment, which would also make it a war crime, says a new report from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. the man.
Systematic Israeli attacks on hospitals in Gaza raise serious concerns that they may commit serious violations of international law. “ As if the incessant bombings and dire humanitarian situation in Gaza weren’t enough, the one sanctuary where Palestinians should have felt safe has in fact become a death trap “, lamented Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in a press release.
The health system in Gaza is “ in agony » due to incessant Israeli attacks since the start of the conflict in October 2023. The strikes, recorded between October 12, 2023 and June 30, 2024, raise serious concerns about Israel’s compliance with international law, according to the findings of the report.
The report highlights that several of these acts, if perpetrated as part of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population, in application of state policy or, in the case of a non-state actor, an organization, may constitute crimes against humanity.
This document dwells in depth on the destruction of the health system in Gaza as well as the scale of the assassinations affecting patients, medical personnel and other civilians during these offensives, “ in blatant disregard of international humanitarian law and human rights ».
During the reporting period, there were at least 136 strikes targeting as many as 27 hospitals and 12 medical facilities, resulting in significant casualties among doctors, nurses and other civilians, and causing widespread damage ranging from until the total destruction of civilian infrastructure.
The report emphasizes that Israeli military operations in and around hospitals, accompanied by the resulting fighting, have repercussions that go far beyond material damage. The United Nations Human Rights Office has reported tragic cases of newborn deaths due to the inability of their mothers to access postnatal care or travel to medical facilities to give birth.
The United Nations Human Rights Office emphasizes that deliberately carrying out attacks on hospitals, as long as they do not constitute military objectives, as well as intentionally targeting civilian populations and launching disproportionate strikes, amounts to committing war crimes, according to the report.
However, in the majority of cases, Israel maintains that hospitals are hijacked for military purposes by Palestinian armed groups. However, the evidence available so far is insufficient to corroborate these allegations, which are often vague and general, some of which appear to be in contradiction with publicly available information.
The increasing degradation of the health system has hampered rapid access to care for many people who have suffered trauma, thus compromising their survival. As of the end of April 2024, the State of Palestine Ministry of Health reported that 77,700 Palestinians had been injured, and several of them died while waiting for hospital or treatment. According to the same ministry, by the end of June 2024, more than 500 health professionals had lost their lives in Gaza since October 7, 2023.
The catastrophic destruction resulting from Israeli attacks on Kamal Adwan Hospital last Friday left the population of northern Gaza with almost zero access to adequate health care, illustrating the pattern of attacks meticulously documented in the report. .
Staff and patients were forced to flee or detained, and there were widespread reports of torture and ill-treatment. The hospital director has been detained and his fate and whereabouts are unknown.
The first major operation carried out by the Israeli army against a hospital concerned the Al Shifa medical complex in November 2023. It carried out a second raid against the establishment in March 2024, leaving it completely in ruins on April 1 . Following the withdrawal of the Israeli army, three mass graves were reportedly discovered at the hospital, with at least 80 corpses recovered, raising serious concerns that crimes under international law may have been committed.
Some bodies found still had catheters and cannulas, suggesting they were patients. Reports indicate that the Israeli military likely used heavy weapons as well as wide-range aerial munitions, causing devastating effects over large areas. The use of explosive weapons in densely populated areas raises serious concerns about the possibility of an indiscriminate attack.
The report also highlights apparent targeting of people inside hospitals, although it is often difficult to determine responsibility. The United Nations Human Rights Office has investigated several cases of fatal shootings at Al Awda Hospital in Jabalya, including that of a volunteer nurse shot in the chest as she watched through the window, on December 7, 2023.
