Posted on 15 March 2024
Medical staff at Nasser Hospital in Gaza have reported harrowing abuse by Israeli forces following a raid last month. According to doctors and other personnel, at least 13 patients lost their lives due to the immense difficulty of providing care while the hospital was under siege. The facility, which was the largest medical center in the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza and the second largest in the enclave, essentially ceased to function after a prolonged siege by the Israeli military. Shocking images from inside the hospital revealed the extent of destruction, rendering it non-operational. The allegations of beatings, humiliation, and forced stripping of medical workers have raised serious concerns about the protection of hospitals, staff, and patients during conflicts. The Israeli military has not directly addressed these specific abuse claims, merely asserting that no medical staff were harmed. However, intentionally targeting medical facilities and personnel can constitute a war crime, as can using them as human shields.
Nasser Hospital: A Desperate Situation
The Nasser Hospital, described as the “backbone of the health system in southern Gaza” by the World Health Organization, has been severely impacted by Israel’s five-month military campaign in the region. The siege, which began at the end of January, left the hospital with only seven remaining staff members, down from 195 before the February raids. The final 120 patients and their families were recently evacuated by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, with support from the WHO and the UN’s emergency aid body. Despite the Israeli military’s claims that the hospital held hostages from previous attacks, no evidence was found to support this assertion. The facility remains under siege, its roads damaged or blocked, leaving a once-vital medical institution in ruins.
Source: The New Humanitarian
Photo by Gigi Ibrahim via Flickr