Israeli attacks on Palestinian health care constitute a crime against humanity, a UN investigation warns

Israel’s deliberate destruction of Gaza’s health system, particularly facilities serving women and children, has been described in a UN investigation as a “crime against humanity of extermination.” This finding is consistent with warnings issued by Palestinians and humanitarian organizations last year. They have repeatedly stated that Israel’s systematic attacks on hospitals, primary health centers and ambulances are aimed at exterminating the Palestinian people.

The UN report came just a week before the anniversary of Israel’s deadly attack on Al-Ahli Hospital on October 17, 2023, which killed around 500 people. Despite widespread outrage, little has changed in Israel’s strategy since then. Israeli authorities attempted to blame the massacre on Palestinian resistance groups – claims that have been debunked. Even now, Israeli officials continue to insist that hospitals in Gaza are being used by Hamas for military purposes, but the UN report shows that no credible evidence of this has been provided.

In fact, the report highlights that while Israel claimed that 85% of Gaza’s hospitals were used by Hamas at some point, it was actually Israeli soldiers who occupied health facilities for their own operations. An example of this is the Turkish Hospital, which was taken over by Israeli forces after it was decommissioned. Once Gaza’s only cancer treatment center, which served 10,000 patients, it was used as a base by Israeli troops. The closure of this hospital left cancer patients unable to access vital treatment, resulting in many deaths.

Meanwhile, three hospitals in northern Gaza – Kamal Adwan, Al-Awda and the Indonesian hospital – continue to face constant attacks and are critically low on supplies. Despite Israel’s mandatory evacuation order, these hospitals continue to provide care and admit patients daily. “Kamal Adwan is not evacuated, it is functional. Al-Awda is functional. We must support and protect these hospitals,” said Dr. Rik Peeperkorn from the World Health Organization (WHO) during a press conference. Videos from Gaza confirm that despite the relentless bombardment, dozens of people continue to reach Kamal Adwan and Al-Awda seeking help.

WHO officials have repeatedly called on Israel to stop its attacks on Gaza’s health system, but the situation continues to worsen. “Failure to protect health care is doubly devastating,” said Steven Solomon, WHO legal officer.

Firstly in terms of the immediate damage it causes, and then in the years it will take to rebuild health systems.

Rebuilding the destroyed health infrastructure in the Gaza Strip will certainly take decades. In addition to the physical destruction, health workers are also grappling with the spread of infectious diseases, exacerbated by the destruction of water and sanitation systems. Just a few days ago, on October 14, the WHO and its partners launched the second phase of a polio vaccination campaign aimed at reaching around 600,000 children.

While the launch of the campaign in central Gaza was successful, the situation in northern Gaza remains worrying. It is important that the health and humanitarian workers involved in the implementation are not lulled into a false sense of security by the positive reception of the polio efforts, emphasized Peeperkorn. “Much more needs to be done,” he added, including by ensuring the safe delivery of aid.

The shortage of food, medicine and essential goods in the north of the Gaza Strip has long since reached critical levels, and many families lack the means to survive. The World Food Program announced on October 12 that no food had entered northern Gaza since the beginning of October. “People no longer have the means to cope, food systems have collapsed and the threat of famine is real,” they added.

Cholera returns to Lebanon

When Israel expanded its military operations into Lebanon, a similar pattern of destruction emerged there. Last month alone, the WHO recorded at least 23 attacks on health facilities and ambulances in Lebanon. Half of primary health centers and pharmacies in conflict zones have been forced to close due to the damage, the UN health agency warned. Of 207 such facilities, 100 are no longer functional.

Israel’s bombing has also led to a resurgence of cholera in Lebanon. This infectious disease was brought under control after an outbreak in 2022 that killed dozens of people. However, due to the Israeli attacks, prevention measures were stopped and cases of cholera were confirmed again.

In the case of the 2022 outbreak, health experts said it was a matter of luck that the disease was quickly brought under control; If the outbreak had been more severe, the Lebanese health system, weakened by a prolonged economic crisis and privatization, would have already collapsed. Under current conditions, a cholera outbreak could easily spiral out of control, making this scenario a reality.

Public Health Shipping is a bi-weekly bulletin published by the Public Health Movement And People’s Shipping.