Israeli Claims Denied by Hamas

Israeli soldiers detained some 100 people suspected of being Hamas militants in a highly controversial operation at Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, a military statement said on Monday. The raid, which started on Friday and ended on Saturday, involved heavy clashes. While the Israeli officials claimed the hospital harboured militants and weapons, Gaza’s health ministry and Hamas denied the claims and said the hospital was merely a medical facility with no militant presence.

Israeli defence officials reported the incursion brought back into the country recovered arms, money, and intelligence documents from Hamas. “Soldiers captured about 100 terrorists, some of whom tried to escape in civilian evacuations,” the military said. Israeli authorities claimed further that some of the suspects were allegedly attired as medical professionals, and it is this which prompted checks on medical staff. The health ministry in Gaza responded by saying that the medical staff were subjected to humiliating treatment during the searches and further alleging that the facility was damaged with essential equipment during the raid.

Disrupted Services at the Hospital

Gazan officials have published footage of hospital infrastructure that appears to have been damaged as Israeli forces withdrew. Hospital employees, who refused to leave the patients behind, insisted that services were temporarily disrupted-from fueling and oxygen stations- but life-threatening, like for the two small children in the intensive care room. The Israeli military has responded by providing fuel, medical supplies, electricity, and oxygen throughout its operation.

It has brought to the fore urgent questions from the international community about the treatment of medical facilities and personnel amid mounting violence in Gaza and also the use of civilian infrastructure in armed conflict.

Humiliating Raid for the Detainees 

The Israeli side claimed that there was negligible damage done to the hospital, which was contradicted by the Gaza health ministry. Some critical equipment had been damaged, and the bombardments in the area were already overwhelming the hospital. The civilians were evacuated along gender lines, with men detained for questioning. Mayssoun Alian, a hospital nurse, described the raid as “humiliating” for detainees who were stripped of clothing to conduct searches for weapons and then allowed to put clothing back on.(More)

International Response and Humanitarian Crisis  

International medical and humanitarian organisations have widely condemned the raid, as hospitals should always be sanctuaries protected from military conflict under international law. Human Rights Watch and Doctors Without Borders released a global statement denouncing the attacks, and both parties urged the protection of medical facilities and personnel from attacks. Bad enough is the increasing hostile actions between Israeli forces and Hamas and their attacks, which may aggravate more civilian casualties, all while an already fragile health system in Gaza takes much of the blow from the escalating attacks.