An Israeli operation shut down the last hospital in the northern part of Gaza on Friday. “This morning's raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital put this last major health center in northern Gaza out of service,” located in Beit Lahia, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on X. According to Hamas, the director of the hospital was arrested by the Israeli army. Reasons for the operation, state of the hospital, arrest of the director, 20 Minutes takes stock.
How does Israel justify this operation?
The Israeli army announced on Friday morning about an operation against Hamas, near the Kamal Adwan hospital. A crucial health hub in a Gaza Strip devastated by 14 months of constant bombing. In its Friday statement, the Israeli army called the hospital a “stronghold of terrorist organizations […] used as a hiding place by terrorists.
Based on information from intelligence services, Israeli forces launched an operation near the hospital, according to the army. “The troops are carrying out targeted operations” and trying to prevent civilians, patients and medical staff, from being affected, she added. The Israeli military regularly accuses Hamas of using hospitals as command centers to launch attacks against its forces. On Friday, the Palestinian movement “categorically denied” in a statement “any military activity or presence of resistance fighters in the Kamal Adwan hospital.”
How did the operation go?
Before launching the operation near the hospital, Israel said its troops had “facilitated the safe evacuation of civilians, patients and medical staff” from the facility. But according to Hamas, “the occupying army stormed the Kamal Adwan hospital, forcing medical staff, patients, wounded and displaced people to evacuate.” In a statement, he accused Israeli forces “of detaining evacuees”.
All our articles on the Israeli operation in Gaza
Citing the director of the hospital, the Ministry of Health of the Palestinian territory run by Hamas affirmed that the Israeli army had “set fire to all the surgical departments of the hospital”. As of Friday morning, the hospital housed around 350 people, including 75 injured and sick, as well as 180 medical staff, according to the director of the establishment. Witnesses in the area said the hospital was evacuated and hundreds of people living nearby were “forced to take refuge at the Al-Fakhoura school and the Indonesian hospital” in Jabalia.
Where is the hospital director?
This operation near the Kamal Adwan hospital in Beit Lahia comes the day after the director of the establishment, Dr Hossam Abou Safiya, announced the death of five staff members in an Israeli strike. According to the Hamas Ministry of Health, “dozens of medical staff at Kamal Adwan Hospital, including Dr. Hossam Abou Safiya,” were arrested and then taken “to a detention center for interrogation.” Contacted by AFP, the Israeli army did not immediately comment.
