28 December 2024 – WHO is appalled by yesterday’s raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital, which put the final main well being facility in North Gaza out of service. The systematic dismantling of the well being system and a siege for over 80 days on North Gaza places the lives of the 75,000 Palestinians remaining within the space in danger.
Preliminary stories point out that some areas of the hospital have been burnt and severely broken throughout the raid, together with the laboratory, surgical unit, engineering and upkeep division, operations theatre, and the medical retailer. Earlier within the day, twelve sufferers and a feminine well being employees have been reportedly compelled to evacuate to destroyed and non-functional Indonesian Hospital the place it’s not doable to supply any care, whereas nearly all of the employees, secure sufferers and companions have been moved to a close-by location. Moreover, some folks have been reportedly stripped and compelled to stroll towards southern Gaza. During the last two months, the realm across the hospital has remained extremely unstable and assaults on the hospitals and on well being employees have occurred nearly day by day. This week, bombardments in its neighborhood reportedly killed 50 folks, together with 5 well being employees from Kamal Adwan Hospital.
Kamal Adwan is now empty. Yesterday night, the remaining 15 crucial sufferers, 50 caregivers and 20 well being employees have been transferred to Indonesian Hospital, which lacks the required gear and provides to supply enough care. The motion and therapy of those crucial sufferers below such situations pose grave dangers to their survival. WHO is deeply involved for his or her wellbeing, in addition to for the Kamal Adwan Hospital director who has been reportedly detained throughout the raid. WHO misplaced contact with him for the reason that raid started.
An pressing WHO mission to Indonesian Hospital is being deliberate for tomorrow to evaluate the scenario on the facility, present primary medical provides, meals and water, and safely transfer crucial sufferers to Gaza Metropolis for continued care.
The raid on the Kamal Adwan hospital follows escalating restrictions on entry and repeated assaults. Since early October 2024, WHO has verified no less than 50 assaults on well being on or close to the hospital. Regardless of the more and more dire wants for emergency and trauma companies and provides, solely 10 out of 21 WHO missions to Kamal Adwan have been partially facilitated between early October and December. Throughout these missions, 45 000 liters of gas, medical provides, blood, and meals have been delivered, and 114 sufferers together with 123 companions have been transferred to Al-Shifa Hospital. However the deployment of worldwide emergency medical groups has been repeatedly denied.
WHO and companions’ efforts to maintain the hospitals’ operations have been undone. With Kamal Adwan and Indonesian hospitals totally out of service, and Al-Awda Hospital barely capable of operate, and severely broken attributable to current airstrikes, the healthcare lifeline for these in North Gaza is reaching a breaking level.
WHO requires urgently guaranteeing that hospitals in North Gaza might be supported to turn into useful once more.
Hospitals have as soon as once more turn into battlegrounds, paying homage to the destruction of the well being system in Gaza Metropolis earlier this 12 months.
Since October 2023, WHO has repeatedly issued pressing calls to guard well being employees and hospitals as per worldwide humanitarian legislation —but these calls stay unheard. Well being services, employees and sufferers are at all times off limits. They have to be actively protected and by no means be attacked, nor used for navy functions. The ideas of precaution, distinction and proportionality below Worldwide Humanitarian Regulation are absolute and at all times apply.
