The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised alarm over the recent Israeli raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, expressing deep concern for the patients and individuals seeking shelter at the facility. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the organization has lost contact with the hospital personnel, highlighting the urgent need for protection of hospitals, patients, health professionals, and humanitarian workers.
Prior to the raid, WHO and its partners managed to evacuate 23 patients and 26 caregivers from Kamal Adwan Hospital to Al-Shifa Hospital amidst ongoing hostilities in the area. The hospital, located in Beit Lahiya, serves approximately 200 patients and provides shelter to hundreds of others.
The Gaza health ministry and the hospital's director reported that the Israeli military had entered the hospital compound twice within the past 24 hours, firing at parts of the complex. These actions have raised significant concerns about the safety and well-being of those within the hospital premises.
WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for an immediate ceasefire to ensure the protection of healthcare facilities, patients, and healthcare workers in conflict zones. The organization emphasized the critical need to safeguard hospitals as neutral spaces for providing essential medical care to those in need.
The escalating violence in Gaza has put vulnerable populations at greater risk, underscoring the importance of upholding international humanitarian law and ensuring the safety of healthcare facilities during times of conflict. WHO continues to monitor the situation closely and advocate for the protection of healthcare services in the region.
