“Point of no return”, “risk”. The “day of war against hospitals” in Gaza

Fpray for a particularly dark 24 hours for doctors, patients and people sheltering in Gaza’s hospitals.

Israeli forces bombed three medical facilities in northern Gaza, causing deaths and injuries, while tanks surrounded at least four other medical facilities where thousands of people took shelter.

According to Al Jazeera, the attacks on hospitals affect not only thousands of patients, but also around 122,000 displaced Palestinians who took shelter in these facilities during Israel’s bombings.

“Point of no return”

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has already called for the immediate protection of all civilians, humanitarian workers and doctors in Gaza. “The health system in Gaza has reached a point of no return, putting the lives of thousands of injured, sick and displaced people at risk,” highlighted a statement from the ICRC, cited by Al Jazeera.

The committee also noted that any military operation around hospitals must take into account the presence of civilians, who are protected under international law. “The laws of war are clear. Hospitals are specially protected structures,” he further stated.

“Day of war against hospitals”

The director of Al-Shifa hospital – Gaza’s main hospital – called Friday’s attacks against his hospital and others affected as a “day of war against hospitals” adding that it was “tragic in every sense of the word” .

“The sick and injured occupy all the corridors of the hospital and we cannot carry out surgical operations,” said Muhammad Abu Salmiya. “We are unable to find a single bed to accommodate the victims. We are making difficult decisions between who to save and who to let die…”, he added.

Abu Salmiya revealed that only four sections of the hospital still function: the intensive care unit, the baby incubator, the operating room and the dialysis unit. “These wards cannot function without electricity. We urgently need fuel… to keep these critical units functioning. The lives of thousands of patients hang in the balance. This is a war crime”, he stressed.

The director added that the thousands of displaced people living inside the hospital are without food or water and that the fear is that Israel will bomb the hospital and destroy it.

It is recalled that Israeli forces attacked the Al Shifa hospital complex, the Al Rantisi children’s center and the Al Quds hospital.

Furthermore, Israeli tanks are surrounding four hospitals in all directions. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, these are Al Rantisi Hospital, Al Nasr Hospital, Government Eyes Hospital and Mental Health Hospital.

The attacks come a day after the White House said Israel agreed to halt military operations in parts of northern Gaza, although Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News that the battle against Hamas continues. , except “in specific locations for a certain period of time”.

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