Amid the rubble and destruction left by the Israeli genocide in the town of Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip, the scene of Kamal Adwan Hospital is highlighted as if it was the island of Samoud in a sea of ruin.
Here, where the Israeli death bombs were destroying the buildings, destroying life and the flames of the fire, the place is devoured, simple white tents, along with the ruins of the hospital, which was once an ancient medical edifice.
Medical staff whose battle effects are still visible on the faces of their members, working with determination and determination to provide treatment for the injured and patients, amid a severe shortage of medical equipment and cleaning and sterilization requirements.
Despite the catastrophe that afflicted the place, the spirit of life remains beating in the rest of the hospital, announcing its steadfastness that attests to Israeli crimes, according to its employees.
What happened in the hospital?
In December 2023, the Israeli army destroyed large parts of Kamal Adwan Hospital, and then waged and launched air strikes that destroyed its power generators in May 2024.
In December 2024, the Israeli army stormed the hospital, forced the medical cadres, patients and their companions to immediately evacuate.
This hospital witnessed wide sabotage, and the Israeli soldiers burned other departments and destruction, causing medical services to stop.
The occupation army also arrested the director of the hospital, Dr. Hossam Abu Safia, whose image during his arrest was a great interaction on the communication platforms, between the construction of the human doctor’s steadfastness, and others who are disappointed.
The hospital is the main in the northern Gaza Strip Governorate, and it consists of 4 buildings, and includes sections of emergency, general reception, children’s reception and general surgery, as well as orthopedics, intensive care and radiology departments, and a laboratory and pharmacy.
The hospital becomes ruined
After the ceasefire in Gaza, which started on January 19, hardly passes a moment without being crowded with the temporary hospital tents with the ongoing movement.
Doctors move between the patients and the injured from all sides, seeking all the power to try to save lives despite the destruction of the building.
Despite the destruction and burning of large parts of the hospital, the medical staff is working to provide care in the tents that were held in a hurry, in light of a systematic Israeli campaign targeting the health sector.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has destroyed 34 out of 38 hospitals, including governmental and private, leaving only 4 hospitals working with a limited ability despite their damage, amid a severe shortage of medicines and medical equipment, according to the latest statistic of the government media office in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli raids also removed 80 health centers from service completely, as well as the destruction of 162 other medical institutions.
The health catastrophe
Sakhr Hamad, Acting Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, told Anatolia that Israel had caused great destruction to the hospital and his infrastructure, where he was bombed, stormed and burned.
Hamad explained that the idea of establishing a field hospital in the devastating hospital arenas came to provide medical services in light of the health catastrophe that is ravaged by the Gaza Strip.
He pointed out that the Ministry of Health in Gaza has done medical clinics in various specialties, and has also created a clinic to treat malnutrition, and will soon operate the Women and Childbirth Department.
And he added: There are no possibilities, we had to use the signs (thick nylon) and wood to establish tents to be able to serve patients.
He pointed out that the medical devices are dilapidated and some were completely burned, but the crews continue to work with what is available, indicating that the hospital was subjected to complete destruction and is no longer valid for work, and it was decided to remove it.
Certificates from the hospital
Anatolia correspondent accompanied the doctor Hamad with a tour of the hospital, to see the extent of the destruction and fires left by the Israeli army, which turned full divisions into ruins.
During the tour, the doctor entered a section for the treatment of malnutrition, indicating that most cases suffer from serious complications as a result of the siege and the lack of food supplies.
The director of nursing at the hospital, Eid Al -Sabah, said that Kamal Adwan Hospital is an icon of health, steadfastness and challenge in the world after he was subjected to a fierce attack during the war.
He added to Anatolia: The place witnessed many massacres, incursions and direct targeting with artillery shelling and drones.
He added: After storming the hospital, the Israeli army arrested the medical cadres, including the hospital director, Abu Safia, and the hospital was completely destroyed and burned its various departments, including the pharmacy, the kidney washing department and the operating rooms.
He continued: More than 60 medical cadres were arrested, while more than 30 of them were martyred while performing their humanitarian duty, and dozens were wounded.
He pointed out that the Israeli army did not respect international laws, but rather committed war crimes by destroying the hospital and killing medical staff.
Anatolia photographer, accompanied by the doctor, toured the intensive care department, which was completely destroyed by the Israeli army in front of the world’s sight, amid the appearance of appeals.
In the children’s department, the effects of the destruction appear in the burned incubators, while the workers were struggling to evacuate the cheer children before the fire devoured them.
Sabah described the scene of the burning operations rooms, which he said that the medical tools were melted from the intense heat, citing that what happened was terrifying.
Calls for accountability and reconstruction
Sabah called for an urgent international action to hold Israel accountable for its crimes, and to rebuild the hospital to return to provide its health services.
On December 28, 2024, the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip announced that the Israeli army arrested the hospital director Abu Safia.
One day before, the occupation army stormed the hospital, set fire to it, took it out of service, and arrested more than 350 people who were inside, including Abu Safia.
On November 24, 2024, Abu Safia was injured as a result of an Israeli shelling targeting the hospital, but he refused to leave his place and continued to treat patients and wounded.