Tuesday, April 15, 2025 - The World Health Organization (WHO) has condemned what it describes as the “devastating and repeated attacks” on hospitals in Gaza, following an Israeli air strike that rendered one of the last major facilities in the north of the territory inoperable.
Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City—run by the Anglican Church—was
struck just after midnight on Sunday.
The hospital’s laboratory was destroyed, while its emergency
room and pharmacy sustained severe damage. While no direct casualties from the
strike were reported, a child who had suffered a head injury died during the
rushed evacuation.
WHO spokesperson Dr Margaret Harris told reporters that the
health system in Gaza is in a state “beyond description,” with critical
shortages of medical supplies due to the Israeli blockade and increasing
attacks on healthcare infrastructure.
The Israeli military claimed it had targeted a Hamas
“command-and-control center” located in the hospital, stating the strike was
“precise” and carried out after a 20-minute warning to evacuate. The military
also claimed the building had “no medical activity” at the time.
However, the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem, which oversees
the hospital, rejected those assertions and called for an independent
investigation.
The bishops of the Church of England expressed “grief,
sorrow, and outrage,” urging Israel to present “clear and compelling evidence”
to support its claim.
“This was the fifth strike on al-Ahli hospital since the war
began,” said the diocese in a statement, adding that nearby St Philip’s Church
was also damaged.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed
that vital services—including the hospital’s emergency room, X-ray machines,
and pharmacy—had been destroyed. Fifty patients were evacuated, while 40
others, many in critical condition, could not be moved.
“Attacks on healthcare must stop,” Dr Tedros stated.
“Hospitals, patients, and medical workers must be protected under international
humanitarian law.”
The Israeli foreign ministry reiterated that the hospital
compound remains “operational” for ongoing medical care, despite the strike on
the targeted building.
Hamas has condemned the strike as a “savage crime” and denied that the
hospital was used for military purposes.
Medical Aid for Palestinians reported that al-Ahli now
provides care comparable to a “hostel,” according to one of its orthopedic
surgeons. “We cannot perform surgeries or provide emergency support,” Dr Ahmed
al-Shurafa said.
Dr Rik Peeperkorn, WHO’s representative in Gaza, said
al-Ahli had the only functioning CT scanner north of Wadi Gaza, and its loss
“heavily impacts trauma patients.” He added that medical supplies are
critically low due to six weeks of halted aid deliveries. Even stockpiled items
in southern Gaza remain out of reach due to Israeli restrictions.
“We have surgical gloves and gowns in Deir al-Balah, but we
are not facilitated to bring them north,” Peeperkorn said.
The strike on al-Ahli follows several other controversial
attacks. On 23 March, the Israeli military struck Nasser Hospital in Khan
Younis, claiming it was targeting Hamas finance chief Ismail Barhoum.
The same day, Israeli troops shot and killed 15 emergency
responders in Rafah. The Red Crescent insists its workers were unarmed and
responding to wounded civilians. Israel has claimed some of the dead were Hamas
operatives.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said on Monday
that one paramedic missing since the Rafah incident is being detained in
Israel.
As the humanitarian crisis deepens, ceasefire talks remain
stalled. A Hamas delegation left Cairo on Monday without progress. A senior
Palestinian official blamed Israel’s refusal to commit to ending the war and
withdrawing from Gaza.
Meanwhile, families of Israeli hostages continue to pressure
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to secure a deal. A recent government
proposal reportedly includes the release of 10 hostages in exchange for a truce
and increased humanitarian aid.
Since the war began in October 2023 following a deadly
Hamas-led attack on Israel that killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 others
taken hostage, over 50,980 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to
the Hamas-run health ministry.
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