Gaza health ministry reported that the Israeli occupation turned Nasser Medical Complex in southern Gaza into military barracks…reports Asian Lite News
Israeli special forces carried out a raid on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza on Thursday, the largest functioning hospital in the enclave, following a prolonged siege on the facility, CNN reported.
Israel Defence Forces (IDF) stated that they had “apprehended a number of suspects” during the operation, emphasising that it was an ongoing mission.
IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari asserted that they had “credible intelligence from a number of sources, including from released hostages,” suggesting that Hamas had previously held hostages at the hospital, with the possibility of deceased hostages’ bodies being present. The military did not publicly release this evidence, according to CNN.
Hagari claimed that Hamas militants “are likely hiding behind injured civilians inside Nasser hospital right now” and assured that the operation would be “precise and limited.”
Hamas denied any involvement at Nasser Hospital. Muhammad Nazzal, a member of the Hamas Political Bureau, stated, “Hamas has no business in the hospital.”
The hospital’s director told the BBC that conditions inside were “catastrophic and very dangerous”.
Ashraf Al-Qidra, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, reported that the Israeli occupation turned Nasser Medical Complex into a military barracks after demolishing the southern wall and entering in the facility. Al-Qidra mentioned that Israeli military bulldozers were digging up mass graves within the complex walls.
The incident unfolded a day after Israeli forces compelled hundreds of civilians to evacuate the hospital, which they had been using as a shelter.
Video footage from Tuesday captured columns of smoke at the hospital’s perimeter, an Israeli bulldozer destroying a hospital perimeter wall, and an armored vehicle entering the hospital grounds, accompanied by the sound of gunfire, as reported by CNN.
Doctors Without Borders, also known as Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), urgently called for Israeli forces to cease the attack on Nasser Hospital. MSF staff reported “an undetermined number of people” killed and injured.
MSF stated that the hospital was shelled despite Israeli Forces having previously assured medical staff and patients they could remain in the facility. Thousands of displaced people were ordered to evacuate on February 13.
“Following shelling this morning, our staff reported a chaotic situation, with an undetermined number of people killed and injured,” MSF said. One of their colleagues remains unaccounted for since the attack.
MSF urged the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) to “immediately stop this attack, as it endangers medical staff and patients still stuck inside the facility.”
“Our medical staff have had to flee the hospital, leaving patients behind. Israeli Forces set up a checkpoint to screen people leaving the compound; one of our colleagues was detained at this checkpoint. We call for his safety and the protection of his dignity,” MSF emphasised. (ANI)
UN concerned over Israeli assaults on Gaza hospitals
The UN Human Rights Office expressed profound concern regarding Israeli forces’ assault on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza, following a similar attack on Al-Amal Hospital.
Ravina Shamdasani, speaking for the Human Rights Office, underscored these incidents as alarming manifestations of a broader trend of Israeli assaults on critical civilian infrastructure, particularly hospitals, the Arab News reported.
Nasser Hospital, the largest operational healthcare facility in the region, faced an assault after enduring a week-long siege, depriving it of essential resources and forcing displaced individuals and medical staff families to flee.
Shamdasani highlighted Israeli forces’ orders to transfer all patients, including the most vulnerable, to another facility, exposing them to grave risks.
She emphasized documented raids across various locations in Gaza, severely endangering patients, medical staff, and civilians seeking refuge in these facilities.
With nearly 70,000 injuries since the Gaza conflict began in October, Shamdasani described the dire state of the healthcare system due to attacks on medical facilities and humanitarian supply restrictions, resulting in appalling consequences for civilians.
Stressing the protected status of medical facilities under international humanitarian law, she reiterated that they should not be targeted or misused for military purposes.
Despite Israeli claims of Hamas presence, Shamdasani emphasized the obligation of the occupying power, Israel, to maintain medical services in the occupied territory, including Gaza.
She called for compliance with principles of precaution and proportionality, urging respect for humanitarian norms amidst the conflict’s complexities.
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