Importance Score: 78 / 100 π΄
Gaza Hospitals Overwhelmed Amidst Ongoing Conflict, WHO Reports
Healthcare facilities in Gaza are facing catastrophic conditions, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared, as a major hospital was rendered largely inoperable following a recent Israeli air strike. A spokesperson for the WHO, Dr. Margaret Harris, conveyed the grim reality of “repeated assaults” on hospitals and healthcare personnel. Compounding the crisis, essential medical supplies are critically low due to the sustained blockade of the territory.
Strike Damages Gaza City Hospital
Al-Ahli Hospital Impacted
On Sunday, staff at al-Ahli hospital, situated in Gaza City, reported that an Israeli strike had devastated its crucial laboratory and inflicted damage on its emergency room. While no immediate fatalities were reported from the strike itself, hospital officials confirmed the death of a child due to disruptions in essential medical care.
Israeli Military Claims Hamas Command Center Targeted
The Israeli military asserted that the strike targeted a “command-and-control center” allegedly utilized by Hamas for planning and coordinating militant activities.
Church of England Expresses “Outrage”
Hospital Affiliation and Response
Al-Ahli hospital is administered by the Church of England. Bishops within the Church voiced their “grief, sorrow, and outrage” alongside Palestinians concerning the incident. They have urgently called upon Israel to furnish concrete evidence substantiating its claims regarding the hospital’s alleged misuse.
Ceasefire Breakdown and Renewed Hostilities
A previous ceasefire in Gaza collapsed with the resumption of Israelβs aerial and ground operations four weeks prior. Israel maintains that sustained military pressure is necessary to compel Hamas to release the remaining hostages.
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Details of the Al-Ahli Hospital Strike
Repeated Strikes on Medical Facility
Al-Ahli hospital sustained two missile impacts around midnight on Sunday, marking the fifth instance of the facility being struck since the commencement of the conflict.
Extent of Damage Detailed
According to the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem, the two-story genetics laboratory was completely demolished. Significant damage was also inflicted upon the pharmacy and emergency department buildings. Furthermore, adjacent structures, including St Philip’s Church located within the hospital compound, also sustained damage.
Evacuation Warning and Casualties
The diocese reported that the Israeli military issued a brief 20-minute warning to hospital staff and patients to evacuate prior to the strike. While the strike itself resulted in no immediate casualties, tragically, a child previously injured suffered fatal consequences due to the chaotic evacuation process.
WHO Confirmation of Extensive Damage
Subsequently, WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that al-Ahli’s director informed the UN agency that the emergency room, laboratory, emergency X-ray equipment, and pharmacy were “destroyed” in the strike.
Patient Relocation and Critical Cases
The hospital was forced to relocate fifty patients to other medical centers. However, a further forty patients in critical and unstable conditions were deemed too fragile to be safely moved, remaining at the severely damaged facility.
WHO Calls for Protection of Hospitals
Dr. Ghebreyesus reiterated the global health body’s stance: “Hospitals are protected under international humanitarian law. Attacks on health care must cease. We urgently repeat: patients, health workers, and hospitals must be safeguarded.”
Israeli and Hamas Reactions
Israel Claims “Precise Strike” Against Hamas
The Israeli foreign ministry described the operation as a “precise strike on a single building” alleging it was exploited by Hamas as a “terror command and control center” devoid of any ongoing “medical activity.”
Warning and Operational Status Claim
The ministry further emphasized that an “early warning” was issued before the strike. They asserted that the operation was “carried out while avoiding further damage to the hospital compound,” which they claimed “remained operational for continued medical treatment.”
Hamas Condemns “Savage Crime”
Hamas vehemently denounced the attack as a “savage crime.” The organization categorically rejected the Israeli assertion that the hospital was being used for military purposes.
Calls for Investigation and Further Reactions
Church of England Demands Evidence and Investigation
On Monday, the House of Bishops of the Church of England released a statement expressing “dismay” that hospitals had become “battlegrounds in Gaza.” They stated that Israel had “yet to provide clear and compelling evidence to substantiate its claim” concerning Hamas’s alleged use of the hospital.
Independent Investigation Urged
“Against that backdrop, we call for an independent, thorough, and transparent investigation into this attack, as well as the alleged misuse of the hospital,” the bishops declared.
Concerns Over Evacuation Timeframe
The statement further criticized the “extremely limited time given to staff and patients to evacuate,” labeling it “a further assault on fundamental human rights and basic human dignity.”
Impact on Trauma Care
WHO representative Dr Rik Peeperkorn informed the BBC that al-Ahli hospital is currently unable to admit new patients pending extensive repairs. This development is expected to “heavily impact trauma patients” in the region.
Critical Trauma Hospital Out of Service
Dr. Peeperkorn underscored al-Ahli’s critical role, stating, “Al-Ahli was a key trauma hospital north of Wadi Gaza. It is the hospital with the only functional CT scanner north of Wadi Gaza,” referencing the valley dividing the territory.
Hospital Conditions “Hostel-Like”
Medical Aid for Palestinians cited an orthopaedic surgeon at al-Ahli who described the degraded level of care for the remaining 40 patients as “quite similar to that of a hostel.”
Lack of Surgical and Diagnostic Capabilities
Dr. Ahmed al-Shurafa explained the dire situation: “We are unable to perform any surgical procedures, as these patients require laboratory diagnostics, pharmacy support, and emergency referrals in case of complications β all of which have ceased entirely due to the recent attack.”
Humanitarian Aid Shortages Intensify Crisis
ICRC Warns of Medical Supply Shortages
Adrian Zimmermann, head of the ICRC sub-delegation in Gaza, cautioned that the widespread scarcity of medical supplies “puts the life and the wellbeing of Gazans who require healthcare services at risk.”
Prolonged Aid Blockade
Dr. Peeperkorn highlighted that critical supply shortages are due to Israel’s prolonged Ω ΩΨΉ of humanitarian aid deliveries for over six weeks.
Aid Stockpiles and Movement Restrictions
He noted that the WHO had pre-positioned some supplies in warehouses during a recent ceasefire period. However, the Israeli military is reportedly not facilitating the crucial transfer of these supplies between northern and southern Gaza.
Desperate Measures in Medical Facilities
Dr. Peeperkorn recounted a conversation with a medical specialist at al-Ahli: “He was telling us that they had to use the same surgical gowns and the same surgical gloves for various operations, while we have surgical gloves and gowns in our warehouse in Deir al-Balah [south of Wadi Gaza],” illustrating the desperate measures healthcare workers are forced to take. “We want to bring them, but we are not facilitated,” he concluded.
Context of the Conflict
Operation Against Hamas and Hostage Crisis
The Israeli military initiated its operation aimed at dismantling Hamas in response to the unprecedented cross-border assault on October 7, 2023. This attack resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities in Israel and the abduction of 251 individuals as hostages.
Gaza Casualty Figures
Tragically, over 50,980 people have been killed in Gaza since the start of the conflict, according to the Hamas-controlled health ministry in the territory.
Ceasefire and Hostage Release
A ceasefire agreement commencing in January and lasting two months saw Hamas release 33 Israeli hostages (eight deceased) and five Thai hostages. In exchange, approximately 1,900 Palestinian prisoners were released, and a surge of humanitarian assistance was permitted into Gaza.
Resumption of Offensive and Stalled Negotiations
Israel reignited its offensive on March 18, accusing Hamas of rejecting a proposal to extend the initial ceasefire phase and release more of the 59 remaining hostages (up to 24 believed to be alive).
Hamas Accuses Israel of Deal Violation
Hamas countered, accusing Israel of violating the original agreement, which allegedly included a second phase encompassing the handover of all remaining living hostages and a permanent cessation of hostilities.
Ceasefire Talks Fail to Progress
On Monday, a Hamas delegation concluded talks in Cairo without any breakthrough in negotiations with Egyptian mediators. These talks were aimed at establishing a new ceasefire agreement, according to a high-ranking Palestinian official familiar with the discussions.
Sticking Points in Negotiations
“No breakthrough was achieved due to Israel’s refusal to commit to ending the war and withdrawing from the Gaza Strip,” the official stated.
Hamas Claims Flexibility, Israel Awaits Response
“Hamas showed flexibility regarding the number of hostages to be released in order to make progress. But Israel wants the hostages back without ending the war,” the official claimed. Israel maintains that it is awaiting a response to its latest proposal submitted at the end of the previous week.
Hostage Release Proposal Reduced
Reportedly, Israel has slightly reduced the number of hostages it is demanding in exchange for a ceasefire extension and increased humanitarian aid entry.
Families Informed of Reduced Hostage Number in Potential Deal
A group representing hostage families, the Tikvah Forum, reported that the parents of Eitan Mor were informed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of government efforts towards a deal that would secure the release of 10 hostages, down from a previous demand of 11 or 12.