ICSPR: Israeli Occupation Forces’ Burning, Storming, and Destruction of Kamal Adwan Hospital and Abuse of Patients, Wounded, and Medical Staff is a Crime Against Humanity
Date: December 27, 2024
Press Release
ICSPR: Israeli Occupation Forces’ Burning, Storming, and Destruction of Kamal Adwan Hospital and Abuse of Patients, Wounded, and Medical Staff is a Crime Against Humanity
The International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (ICSPR) strongly condemns the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Israeli occupation forces against Kamal Adwan Hospital. Today marks the completion of 84 days of repeated Israeli assaults targeting hospitals in northern Gaza, specifically the attacks that led to the burning and destruction of Kamal Adwan Hospital, forcing medical staff, patients, and the wounded to evacuate, rendering the hospital out of service. The fate of Al-Awda Hospital remains unknown amidst communication blackouts, following the bombing of its surroundings, which injured six staff members, including the hospital director.
This attack on Kamal Adwan Hospital, which ICSPR and medical teams had previously warned against, aligns with the genocidal plans of Israeli generals aimed at completing the depopulation and destruction of northern Gaza, making it uninhabitable both currently and in the future. This leaves the remaining 20,000 besieged residents facing an uncertain and deadly fate without food, protection, or healthcare services.
According to ICSPR’s monitoring, the Israeli occupation forces besieged Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza at around 7 a.m. on December 27. They ordered the gathering of approximately 350 patients, their companions, and medical staff within 15 minutes in the hospital’s courtyard. All present were assaulted, with men forced to strip and were forcibly displaced to Al-Fakhoura School west of Jabalia refugee camp, which has been turned into an interrogation center by Israeli forces. There, detainees were subjected to abuse, assault, searches, humiliation, and arrests of men, while women, children, some patients, the wounded, and medical staff were forcibly displaced on foot via Salah al-Din Street to Gaza City.
It is worth noting that this incursion followed more than 40 previous attacks by Israeli forces targeting the hospital and its surroundings over the past two months. These attacks included detonating explosives around the hospital, dropping bombs, repeated drone strikes, and tank shelling, causing significant damage and fires in several buildings. One of the most severe assaults prior to the incursion involved the targeted killing of five hospital staff members yesterday evening – two were struck while heading to the hospital, while three others were killed in a building opposite the hospital, which was bombed by Israeli aircraft, killing 50 civilians inside. This was followed by continued explosive detonations around Kamal Adwan and Al-Awda Hospitals, resulting in extensive damage to both facilities and injuring several medical personnel, patients, and the wounded.
Around two months ago, the Indonesian Hospital was burned and destroyed as part of ongoing violations against hospitals in northern Gaza, rendering them inoperative. This is part of the systematic eradication of service, health, and humanitarian sectors, alongside the near-total destruction of cities and refugee camps in the northern governorate. These atrocities are part of the brutal military operation that has persisted since October 5, 2024.
ICSPR holds the Israeli occupation fully responsible for the lives of patients, the wounded, and medical staff who were in Kamal Adwan Hospital, following the loss of communication and their forced transfer to unknown locations where they are being interrogated and abused. Among them is the hospital’s director, Dr. Hossam Abu Safieh.
ICSPR reiterates its condemnation and outrage over the series of deliberate acts of genocide, war crimes, and ethnic cleansing committed by Israeli forces against hospitals and medical staff. ICSPR strongly condemns the international community’s glaring failure to respond to the distress calls of hospital staff and civilians, allowing the occupation to continue committing acts of genocide. These crimes include storming and destroying hospitals, rendering them inoperative, and massacring patients, the wounded, displaced persons, and medical teams within them.
ICSPR calls on the United Nations, countries, and free people around the world to take concrete action to impose sanctions on the occupying power and hold its leaders and soldiers accountable for their crimes against the health sector and civilians in international courts. ICSPR urges the formation of an international and humanitarian coalition to ensure the provision of international protection for Palestinians, halt the ongoing Israeli aggression, and stop the genocide that has continued for the 15th consecutive month, resulting in over 60,000 martyrs and missing persons, including 1,100 medical personnel.
ICSPR calls on the international community, the United Nations, and the World Health Organization to take all necessary measures to ensure the protection of the health sector and civilians, facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid and medical supplies, and ensure the continuity of hospital operations to provide services to patients and the injured, preventing further loss of life.
End.
International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (ICSPR)
