Gaza Hospitals: Crisis Under Israeli Strikes
Gaza hospitals are facing an unprecedented crisis as the Israel-Hamas war continues to ravage medical infrastructure. Airstrikes and ongoing conflict have crippled Gaza’s health system, leaving many hospitals damaged or destroyed, and exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation. The U.N. reports that nearly all Gaza hospitals are affected, with half no longer operational. Repeated strikes and sieges have made it incredibly challenging to maintain services. While international law protects hospitals from military targets, accusations of Hamas using them for military activities complicate the situation. Independent investigations are crucial. News Directory 3 provides up-to-date reporting. What steps will be taken to protect civilians and healthcare? Discover what’s next …
Gaza hospitals Near Collapse Amid Israel-Hamas War
Gaza’s health system is nearing a breaking point as attacks on hospitals have increased in recent weeks, according to the United Nations. Airstrikes and ongoing conflict have devastated medical facilities, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation.
Jens Laerke,a spokesperson for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said nearly all hospitals in Gaza are damaged or destroyed, with half no longer operational. Facilities have struggled to maintain services amid repeated strikes and sieges.
While international humanitarian law protects hospitals, Israel has claimed Hamas uses these sites for military activities, a charge Hamas denies.the U.N.and othre humanitarian groups have called for independent investigations into attacks on medical facilities and alleged misuse by Hamas.
Earlier this week, the Israeli military showed reporters a tunnel it said was uncovered beneath the European Hospital, where the body of Hamas military chief Mohammed Sinwar was allegedly found.
Laerke emphasized that hospitals should never be militarized or targeted, stating that such actions may constitute war crimes.
According to World Health Organization data, none of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are fully functioning. seventeen provide partial services, while 19 are entirely out of service.The broader health system, including ambulances and clinics, has been attacked over 700 times since the war began, resulting in at least 900 deaths and over 1,000 injuries. The overall death toll in Gaza exceeds 55,000, according to the health ministry.
After a january ceasefire, attacks on Gaza’s health system decreased, but violence escalated again in March. WHO data indicates a recent surge in attacks, with 21 recorded in the first three weeks of May, compared to five in April. Recent incidents include strikes near a dialysis center at the Indonesian Hospital on June 1 and attacks on Al-Aqsa and Al-Ahli Hospitals on June 4 and 5. Hostilities have also forced al-Amal Hospital to shut down, the WHO said.
One early attack occured on April 2, when an Israeli airstrike hit a UNRWA clinic in Jabalia, housing displaced people. Video showed extensive damage, with walls reduced to rubble and charred remains. On May 13, Israeli forces struck two hospitals in khan Younis. An attack on the European Hospital killed at least 16 people and injured dozens, forcing the facility to suspend services. The Nasser Medical Complex was also hit, marking the fourth time it had been struck during the conflict.
In response to these attacks, the IDF stated it had targeted a Hamas command center at Nasser Hospital and an underground infrastructure site beneath the European Hospital.While the IDF provided evidence of a tunnel under the European Hospital, it did not offer specific evidence for the command center claim or other incidents, maintaining that Hamas uses hospitals for terrorist activities. Independent verification of the IDF’s statements remains unavailable.