A United Nations report published on Tuesday concluded that the ongoing Israeli aggression since October 2023 against hospitals or their surroundings in the Gaza Strip has put the health system in the Palestinian Strip on the “verge of complete collapse.”
The report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights noted that this type of strike exacerbates concerns about Israel’s compliance with international law.
The commission said, “The pattern of deadly Israeli attacks on hospitals in Gaza and its environs, and the associated combat operations, have pushed the health care system to the brink of complete collapse, which has catastrophically affected the ability of Palestinians to access health and medical care.”
The 23-page report, entitled “Attacks on Hospitals during Escalation of Hostilities in Gaza,” focuses on the period from October 7, 2023, to June 30, 2024.
He pointed out that during this period, 136 strikes were carried out on 27 hospitals and 12 other health facilities, resulting in a large number of casualties among doctors, nurses, and medical staff, in addition to other civilians, and causing damage to civilian infrastructure, if not destroying it completely.
A death trap
The report pointed out that medical personnel and hospitals in particular are protected under international humanitarian law, as long as they do not commit or are used to commit any acts that harm the enemy outside their humanitarian missions.
He concluded that Israeli claims about the presence of armed groups in hospitals in Gaza are “vague and vague.”
It stated, “Israel claims, in most cases, that Palestinian armed groups were using hospitals. However, to date it has provided little information to prove these allegations, which have remained vague and vague, and in some cases appear to contradict publicly available information.”
For his part, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, considered that Gaza’s hospitals had turned into a “death trap.”
He said, “As if the continuous bombing and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza were not enough, the only haven in which Palestinians should feel safe has become a death trap,” stressing that “protecting hospitals during war is extremely important, and all parties must respect this principle at all times.” “The times.”
A call for investigation
The report concluded with a call for independent investigations into the incidents detailed.
“It is necessary to conduct independent, comprehensive and transparent investigations into all these incidents, and to hold accountable those responsible for all violations of international humanitarian and human rights law,” Türk said.
He added, “All arbitrarily detained medical personnel should be released immediately.”
He continued, “Israel, as the occupying power, must give priority to ensuring and facilitating the Palestinian population’s access to adequate health care, and to future recovery and reconstruction efforts, with the aim of restoring medical capabilities that have been destroyed over the past 14 months of violent conflict.”