The recent Israeli raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital (KAH) in northern Gaza is the latest example of Israel’s egregious disregard for international humanitarian law and the sanctity of medical facilities. The attack, which left patients and medical staff intimidated, arrested, and forced to evacuate, highlights a broader pattern of military violence against civilians in Gaza.
Israel has repeatedly used discredited lies to justify its assault on hospitals across Gaza, including the false claim that Hamas operates a command center beneath al-Shifa Hospital. This fabricated story has been employed to target medical facilities, resulting in the destruction of hospitals and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
The international community’s tepid response to these blatant violations has emboldened Israel to act with impunity. Despite clear evidence of war crimes, accountability remains elusive, and the world must respond with concrete actions to ensure those responsible are held accountable.
Hospitals, including military hospitals, are recognized as neutral spaces under international law, protected from military aggression. The United Nations has a moral and legal obligation to uphold and enforce Article 18 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which explicitly prohibits attacks on medical facilities.
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 life lost in Gaza is a stain on humanity’s conscience. The international community must confront this genocide with urgency and resolve it demands.
Israel’s attacks on medical facilities reveal a deliberate intent to coerce the population into forced “voluntary” ethnic cleansing. The targeting of hospitals is not random but part of a broader systematic pattern of military violence against all aspects of civilian life in Gaza. This includes schools, shelters, religious centers, agricultural infrastructure, water wells, bakeries, and aid distribution networks.
The world must respond with concrete actions to ensure that those responsible for this ongoing genocide are held accountable. Israeli war crimes in Gaza cannot be ignored, and the international community must take meaningful action to stop this ongoing humanitarian crisis.
Source: https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/israel-gaza-hospital