Israeli forces recently conducted a raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, resulting in the arrest of the hospital director, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya. The hospital, which was the last major functioning health facility in the area, has been left empty following the raid. Patients, caregivers, and health workers were transferred to the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahiya, according to the World Health Organization.
The Israeli military stated that Dr. Abu Safiya was suspected of being a Hamas terrorist operative and that the hospital was allegedly being used as a Hamas terror stronghold. The IDF detained hundreds of individuals during the operation, claiming they were targeting Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists.
Reports emerged that patients and staff at Kamal Adwan Hospital were ordered to strip in the streets during the raid. Some individuals were allegedly beaten when they refused to comply. Following the incident, patients were relocated to the Indonesian Hospital, which has been described as destroyed and nonfunctional by the WHO.
Allegations of strip searches, beatings, and a fire breaking out at the hospital have raised concerns about the treatment of patients and staff during the operation. The IDF denied causing the fire and stated that its troops were operating in the area surrounding the hospital.
The closure of Kamal Adwan Hospital has exacerbated the already dire humanitarian situation in northern Gaza. The WHO had previously requested humanitarian access to the hospital, which was denied by Israeli authorities. Patients who were evacuated from the hospital have been transferred to other medical facilities, such as Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.
Footage from Al Shifa Hospital showed patients who had been relocated from Kamal Adwan Hospital, including individuals with special needs and those who had been injured in Israeli strikes. The impact of the raid on the hospital and its patients underscores the ongoing challenges faced by healthcare facilities in the region.
