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Kamal Adwan Hospital sieges

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During the Israel–Hamas war, the Kamal Adwan Hospital, a hospital in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, was besieged by the Israel Defense Forces.

Kamal Adwan Hospital siege
Part of the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip
Date
  • 12–16 December 2023
  • 24–31 May 2024
Location
Kamal Adwan Hospital, Beit Lahia
31°33′8.29″N 34°30′31.04″E / 31.5523028°N 34.5086222°E / 31.5523028; 34.5086222
Status nonoperational

Background

The Kamal Adwan Hospital was a site of conflict during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war following the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip. Israel's targeting of Kamal Adwan came amidst a broader Israeli targeting of health facilities in the Gaza Strip. On 3 December, the IDF struck in the vicinity of Kamal Adwan hospital, killing at least four people according to Al-Jazeera.[1] On 11 December, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital stated Israel had killed two mothers and their newborn babies when Israel targeted its maternity ward.[2] According to UN News, the "maternity department was reportedly hit during shelling and two mothers were killed".[3] As of August 2024, the Kamal Adwan Hospital houses the only functioning neo-natal ICU left in Gaza[4]

2023 raid by Israel Defense Forces

On 12 December, Israel raided the Kamal Adwan Hospital.[5][6] The head of pediatrics stated the IDF had ordered all men and boys above age sixteen to leave the hospital to be searched.[7] 70 medical staffers were arrested and taken to an unknown location.[8] The head of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated he was "extremely worried" about the situation at Kamal Adwan.[9]

The IDF released a video claiming that it showed alleged terrorists near Kamal Adwan reportedly surrendering their weapons.[10] These claims were quickly challenged by family members who identified their non-combatant relatives.[11]

On 14 December, the Gaza Health Ministry reported that 2,500 internally displaced persons had been forcibly evacuated, and that IDF soldiers had prevented medical staff from continuing support to 12 babies in intensive care and ten emergency department patients, leading to two deaths.[12] Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated patients had evacuated Kamal Adwan hospital, resulting in the deaths of patients, including a nine-year-old.[13]

On 16 December, Israeli bulldozers crushed people sheltering outside the hospital.[14] One reporter described "a terrifying massacre and unspeakable scenes" and stating, "Dozens of displaced, sick and wounded people were buried alive".[15] A man stated his 25-year-old son had been buried alive by IDF bulldozers at Kamal Adwan and in the same report the IDF was accused of necroviolence by running over corpses with a bulldozer.[16] Director general of the Gaza Health Ministry, Munir al-Bursh, claims to have been shot at by Israeli forces while giving a press conference in front of the hospital, and that Israeli forces arrested 70 medical professionals.[17]

Israel claims that the hospital was used to shelter terrorists, arguing that this invalidated the protection provided by the Geneva Conventions.[18] Israel claims to have arrested 80 Hamas operatives in the base and had found weapons in the location.[18] Staff reported the Israeli troops shooting at doctors and setting dogs to maul handicapped patients.[19]

Detention and interrogation of hospital director

The hospital's director, Ahmed Kahlout, was arrested following the IDF's takeover of the hospital. Following an interrogation by the Israel Defense Forces, the Israeli military reported that he had confessed that the hospital was being used as a military operations center. He is reported to have said that he joined Hamas in 2010 at the equivalent rank of a brigadier general and that many hospital staff members, including doctors, nurses, paramedics, and others, also served as members of Hamas's al-Qassam brigades. According to Kahlout, Hamas concealed weapons within the hospital and integrated its operations into its functions.[20][21][22][23]

The Gaza Health Ministry said that "Kahlot’s confessions were extracted under the use of force, coercion, torture and intimidation."[24] The Ministry of Health said that Kahlout works for the Military Medical Services, a branch of the Ministry of the Interior and that the rank of brigadier general was part of the ranking system used by the Interior Ministry.[25]

2024 bombing and siege

In May 2024, Israel bombed the vicinity of the hospital, which the World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated on 19 May was "deeply worrisome".[26] Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated on 21 May that the hospital had been attacked four times in the prior twenty four hours.[27] The same day, the hospital was evacuated, though patients connected to machines were unable to be evacuated.[28] Medics stated on 22 May that missiles hit the hospital's emergency department.[29] On 24 May, Israeli forces massed outside the hospital entrance, leading the hospital's head of nursing to state, "It is considered practically, because it is besieged, not operational".[30] The hospital was hit twice by artillery.[31] On 25 May, the head of pediatrics stated Israeli forces were still surrounding the hospital.[32] Upon Israel's withdrawal from the Jabalia refugee camp, Gaza’s Hamas-run civil defense agency stated that the Israeli military had destroyed the hospital's main electrical generators.[33][34][35] In August 2024, officials at Kamal Adwan Hospital warned that the hospital was at risk of closure due to lack of fuel and medicine, putting 11 children at risk of death.[4]

October 2024 evacuation order

In October 2024, the Israeli military ordered the complete evacuation of the Kamal Adwan Hospital within 24 hours.[36] Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, the hospital's director, said the hospital would remain in service, stating, "We have babies and newborns that are in the ICU. Even if we can evacuate a few patients, we cannot leave the hospital because there is no other hospital that is providing services and treatment to children".[37] As Israel's deadline for evacuation, the Israeli army was reported to be advancing on the hospital while "committing massacres against civilians".[38]

Reactions

Palestinian health minister Mai al-Kaila called for a probe into Israeli actions at Kamal Adwan.[39] The Council on American–Islamic Relations called for a United Nations international probe.[40] Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated WHO was appalled at the hospital's "effective destruction".[41] The United Nations called for an investigation.[42]

See also

References

  1. ^ "At least four killed in strike in the vicinity of Kamal Adwan Hospital". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  2. ^ "'No one can leave': Northern Gaza hospital surrounded by Israeli tanks". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  3. ^ "'Humanitarian disaster zone': Gaza hospital capacity decimated – WHO". UN News. United Nations. 12 December 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  4. ^ a b Rasheed, Zaheena; Rowlands, Lyndal (19 August 2024). "Lives of babies at risk as Kamal Adwan Hospital faces closure". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-08-20.
  5. ^ Tétrault-Farber, Gabrielle. "WHO calls for Gaza hospital to be protected after reported raid". Reuters. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  6. ^ "Israeli forces raid Gaza's Kamal Adwan Hospital after days of strikes". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  7. ^ Dahman, Ibrahim (13 December 2023). "Gaza healthcare workers 'taken' by Israeli forces, says doctor, amid 'horrendous conditions' at hospitals". CNN. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  8. ^ Balousha, Hazem; Berger, Miriam. "Pediatric doctor describes Israeli raid at hospital". The Washington Post. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  9. ^ Patil, Anushka (13 December 2023). "Israeli forces raid another hospital and detain doctors, Gaza's health ministry says". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  10. ^ Fabian, Emanuel. "IDF airs clip of terrorists surrendering in northern Gaza hospital, says 70 handed themselves in". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  11. ^ Fahim, Kareem. "Images of stripped and humiliated Palestinians draw condemnation". The Washington Post. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  12. ^ "Hostilities in the Gaza Strip and Israel Flash Update #69". UNOCHA. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  13. ^ Madani, Doha. "WHO 'extremely concerned' over reports of Kamal Adwan Hospital raid". NBC News. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  14. ^ "Gaza hospital destroyed, WHO chief reiterates ceasefire call". UN News. United Nations. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  15. ^ "Israeli bulldozers crush sick, wounded Palestinians outside Gaza hospital". The Peninsula Qatar. 16 December 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  16. ^ Li, Emma. "IDF accused of running over dead bodies with bulldozer outside of Gaza hospital". NBC News. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  17. ^ Berger, Miriam. "WHO condemns 'effective destruction' of Kamal Adwan Hospital; Gaza health chief says IDF shot at him". The Washington Post. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  18. ^ a b "Gaza hospital in rubble after Israeli withdrawal". France 24. 2023-12-17. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  19. ^ Salman, Abeer (23 December 2023). "Doctors accuse Israeli troops of desecrating bodies and shooting civilians at hospital Israel says was Hamas 'command center'". CNN. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  20. ^ Jeremy Bob, Yonah (2023-12-19). "Gaza hospital director admits Hamas uses hospitals for military purposes". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  21. ^ TPS, Pesach Benson / (2023-12-19). "Gaza Hospital Director Admits He Works for Hamas". Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  22. ^ Zitun, Yoav (2023-12-19). "Gaza hospital chief confirms facility's use as Hamas military base staffed by terrorist operatives". Ynetnews. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  23. ^ Spencer, Richard (19 December 2023). "Israel posts doctor's 'Hamas confession' after hospital arrests". The Times. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  24. ^ "Israel accused of extracting confessions of Gaza's hospital director under duress". AA. 20 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  25. ^ "Ministry of Health denounces forcing Dr. Kahlout to make confessions under duress". The Palestinian Information Center. 2023-12-20. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  26. ^ "Hostilities near Kamal Adwan Hospital 'deeply worrisome': WHO". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  27. ^ "WHO chief: Kamal Adwan Hospital attacked four times today". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  28. ^ Khoudary, Hind. "Some patients unable to be evacuated from Kamal Adwan Hospital". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  29. ^ "Israel's military repeatedly attacks besieged northern Gaza hospitals". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  30. ^ Abdulrahim, Raja (24 May 2024). "Israeli Forces Cut Off Access to Kamal Adwan Hospital in Northern Gaza". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  31. ^ Abu Azzoum, Tareq. "Onslaught continues on northern Gaza hospitals". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  32. ^ "Kamal Adwan Hospital still surrounded by Israeli forces". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  33. ^ "Dozens of bodies recovered after Israeli withdrawal from Jabalia". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  34. ^ "Power generators destroyed by Israeli forces at Kamal Adwan Hospital". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  35. ^ "Gazans returning to Jabalia describe 'horrifying' destruction". BBC. 4 June 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  36. ^ "Israel orders forced removal of patients in Gaza's Kamal Adwan hospital within 24 hours". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  37. ^ "Gaza hospital director says will not comply with Israeli order to shut facility". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  38. ^ al-Kahlout, Moath. "Smell of burned human flesh at northern Gaza hospital as Israeli attacks continue". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  39. ^ "PA health minister seeks probe into deadly Israeli raid on Gaza hospital". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  40. ^ Hooper, Ibrahim. "CAIR Calls for UN Probe of Reports Israeli Military Bulldozed Gaza Medical Tents, Burying Injured Palestinians Alive". CAIR. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  41. ^ "WHO Denounces 'Destruction' Of Gaza Hospital". Barron's. Agence France Presse. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  42. ^ Abdul Karim, Fatima. "U.N. Calls for Investigation of Deaths at Hospital That Israel Says Was Hamas Command Center". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
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