Israel’s attacks on hospitals are war crimes; the world must respond

The recent Israeli attack on Kamal Adwan Hospital, the only partially-operating hospital in northern Gaza, was the latest phase of Israel’s egregious disregard for international humanitarian law and the sanctity of medical facilities. This audacious act highlighted the alarming impunity with which Israel conducts its genocidal war in Gaza, and further aggravates the suffering of the Palestinians in the enclave.

In attacking Kamal Adwan, Israel resorted to the same discredited lies used to justify its assault on Al-Shifa Hospital in November 2023, which alleged that Hamas operated a command centre beneath the hospital. This fabrication has long been employed as a pretext to target medical facilities across Gaza. During its raid on Al-Shifa, Israeli forces found no evidence of a military presence yet proceeded to destroy the hospital anyway.

Eyewitness accounts report that Israeli forces stormed the hospital under the pretext of searching for individuals allegedly connected to resistance groups. Hospital staff were forcibly removed from their posts, and several patients, including children, were left unattended during the raid. Patients and medical staff faced severe intimidation and arrest, and critical care was disrupted as soldiers combed through wards and operating rooms. They then set the hospital on fire after failing to uncover the alleged military infrastructure.

Two days after setting Kamal Adwan Hospital ablaze, Israel escalated its attacks on Gaza’s medical infrastructure, killing seven civilians in a strike on Al-Wafaa Hospital in Gaza City and shelling the nearby Ahli Baptist Hospital. Despite mounting evidence disproving its claims, Israel, unchallenged, repeated the same fabricated justification: resistance fighters were alleged to be operating within the hospitals. This unsubstantiated template has become a routine pretext for targeting healthcare facilities, disregarding international laws designed to protect civilians and medical institutions during conflict.

READ: Israel destroying the healthcare system in north Gaza: Red Cross

Israel’s disinformation regarding the presence of military targets within Gaza’s medical facilities continues to be reported unquestionably by Western media, despite there being a well-documented track record of inaccuracies and history of falsehoods pushed out by spokespersons for the occupation state.

This uncritical reporting undermines journalistic integrity and perpetuates a wholly misleading narrative, often downplaying or simply ignoring Israeli crimes.

By omitting the broader context of occupation, two-decades of blockade, and systemic oppression, these media platforms contribute to a distorted representation of the reality on the ground. Western media, in particular, report frequently on Israeli atrocities as though they are inevitable natural disasters, devoid of human accountability or compassion. This approach not only erases the agency behind these tragedies, but also dehumanises Palestinians, reducing them to mere statistics.

The failure to examine thoroughly and challenge Israel’s repeated falsehoods reflects a blatant bias in Western journalism. By granting disproportionate weight to Israeli perspectives while side-lining Palestinian voices, these outlets perpetuate stereotypes and reinforce systemic racism. This one-sided, remote reporting on Gaza undermines the principles of journalistic integrity and fuels global indifference to the plight of civilians. The lack of accountability for such biased coverage underscores the need for a more equitable and truthful approach by reporting directly from inside the war zone.

The raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital was not an isolated incident; it was a manifestation of a broader military policy aimed at inflicting maximum pain on the people of Gaza. Already deprived of food, water, power and adequate medical supplies due to Israel’s blockade, the timing of the raid on the only partially-functioning hospital in northern Gaza, was emblematic of a systematic strategy to render the area uninhabitable.

The international community’s tepid response to such blatant violations has emboldened Israel to act with impunity.

Despite clear evidence of war crimes, accountability remains elusive. The lack of meaningful action from global powers and institutions undermines the credibility of international law and signals to Israel that it can evade any and all consequences of its actions.

Hospitals, including military hospitals, are recognised as neutral spaces under international law, protected from military aggression to ensure the uninterrupted provision of critical care during times of war. The UN has both a moral and legal obligation to uphold and enforce Article 18 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which explicitly prohibits attacks on medical facilities. Anything less will be a betrayal of the principles that underpin international humanitarian law and a failure to stop war crimes.

The genocidal war on Gaza is not merely a regional issue; it is a moral litmus test for the global community. Every bomb dropped, every home destroyed, and every person killed in Gaza is a stain on humanity’s conscience. The international community must confront this genocide with the urgency and resolve it demands. Failing to act not only condemns Gaza’s population to further suffering, but also erodes the very foundations of international law and human decency.

READ: UN special rapporteur calls for global medical boycott of Israel

The international community’s response for the Israeli genocide in Gaza has been woefully inadequate. While some countries issue lukewarm condemnations, others, like the United States, provide unwavering support for Israel to “finish the job”. This double standard exposes the hypocrisy of the US and Western powers that, ostensibly, champion human rights and international law in other contexts while turning a blind eye to the injustice in Israeli-occupied Palestine.

The Israeli attacks on medical facilities also expose a deliberate intent to coerce the population into forced “voluntary” ethnic cleansing. The targeting and subsequent destruction of hospitals is not random. It is part of a broader, systematic pattern of military violence against all aspects of civilian life in Gaza. This includes hospitals, schools, shelters, religious centres, agricultural infrastructure, water wells, bakeries and humanitarian aid distribution networks. These calculated assaults are designed to dismantle the foundations of daily life, exacerbate the humanitarian crisis and strip the population of even the most basic means of survival.

The international community’s conspicuous silence and failure to hold Israel accountable have encouraged such actions, creating an environment where impunity reigns. By targeting hospitals — essential lifelines in any society, let alone one under siege — Israel not only deepens the humanitarian crisis but also sends a chilling message: no space, not even those dedicated to saving lives, is off-limits.

Israeli war crimes in Gaza cannot be ignored.

The world must respond. Not with platitudes or empty gestures, but with concrete actions to ensure that those responsible for this ongoing genocide are held accountable.

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The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.