United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, warned during a briefing - via video conferencing - to the Security Council on the provision of healthcare in Gaza, that Israel’s ongoing attacks have a devastating impact on Gaza’s hospitals, WAFA News Agency reported.
“A human rights catastrophe continues to unfold in Gaza before the eyes of the world. Israel’s means and methods of warfare have killed tens of thousands of people, inflicted vast displacement, and laid waste to the territory. This has raised utmost concerns about compliance with international law,” said Türk.
He highlighted a recent report by his Office covering the period between 7 October 2023 and 30 June 2024, which documented patterns of attacks on hospitals, starting with Israeli airstrikes, followed by raids by ground troops, the detention of some patients and staff, the forced removal of others and the withdrawal of troops, leaving the hospital essentially non-functional. The report also detailed the killings of patients, staff, and other civilians.
“The protection of hospitals during warfare is paramount and must be respected by all sides, at all times.”
The destruction of hospitals across Gaza goes beyond depriving Palestinians of their right to access adequate healthcare, stressed Türk, adding that those hospitals provided sanctuary for thousands of people with nowhere else to go.
Türk touched upon the destruction wrought by the Israeli military’s attacks last Friday on Kamal Adwan Hospital; the last functioning hospital in North Gaza, reflecting the patterns of attacks documented in the report. Some staff and patients were forced from the hospital while others, including the General Director, were detained, with many reports of torture and ill-treatment.
He said that the Israeli military’s operations in and around hospitals have had a terrible impact, precisely at a time of massive demands on healthcare due to the ongoing conflict.
SD/
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