UN: Israeli strikes on Gaza hospitals push healthcare system to brink of collapse

A United Nations report has found that Israeli airstrikes on and near hospitals in Gaza have pushed the region's healthcare system to the brink of collapse. 

The UN's human rights office raised serious concerns about Israel's adherence to international law regarding these attacks, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

The 23-page report, titled Attacks on Hospitals during the Escalation of Hostilities in Gaza, covers the period from October 7, 2023, to June 30, 2024.

It details at least 136 strikes on 27 hospitals and 12 other medical facilities, causing numerous casualties among healthcare workers, medics, and civilians. The attacks have severely damaged or completely destroyed key healthcare infrastructure, further hindering access to essential medical services for Palestinians.

The UN report emphasized that medical facilities and personnel are specifically protected under international humanitarian law, as long as they are not being misused for military purposes. However, the report found Israel's claims that Gaza's hospitals were being used for military purposes by Palestinian groups to be vague and unsubstantiated. It noted that insufficient evidence had been provided to support these allegations, and some public information contradicted them.

UN human rights chief Volker Turk condemned the situation, describing Gaza's hospitals as a "death trap." He called for the protection of hospitals during the conflict to be respected by all parties involved.

The ongoing conflict in Gaza began with a Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in over 1,200 deaths, mostly civilians. In retaliation, Israel's military campaign in Gaza has claimed over 45,500 lives, the majority of whom are civilians, according to health ministry figures in the Hamas-run territory, which the UN deems reliable.

By Tamilla Hasanova