The United Nations Human Rights Office released a report on Tuesday condemning Israeli airstrikes on hospitals in Gaza, which it says have severely devastated the region’s healthcare system. The report highlights the consequences of these attacks, emphasizing that they raise serious concerns about Israel’s adherence to international humanitarian and human rights laws.
Destruction of Gaza’s Healthcare System
The 23-page report documents various attacks on hospitals and medical facilities in Gaza from October 12, 2023, to June 30, 2024. It concludes that these attacks have effectively destroyed the local healthcare infrastructure, leaving Palestinians with little access to necessary medical care. The report notes that the destruction of the healthcare system, along with the killing of patients, medical staff, and civilians, is a direct result of Israel’s disregard for international laws governing armed conflict.
The UN report asserts that deliberately attacking hospitals and medical facilities, which are not military targets, is a violation of international humanitarian law and could constitute a war crime. The UN also warned that a pattern of rights abuses against civilians could amount to crimes against humanity. This statement underscores the severity of the situation and the potential legal consequences for the actions taken by Israeli forces.
Israeli Defense and Counterarguments
The Israeli government has rejected the claims made in the UN report, arguing that Hamas uses hospitals as command centers for military operations. Israel maintains that its military actions are aimed at neutralizing Hamas militants and that hospitals have been targeted because they were believed to harbor military activities. However, the UN report found insufficient public evidence to substantiate these allegations.
The Israeli military also responded by stating that they have taken extensive measures to minimize civilian harm, including setting up field hospitals, providing evacuation routes, and offering aid to the affected population. Despite these claims, the UN report points to a systemic pattern of violations that undermines these assertions.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, strongly condemned the attacks, calling them a “blatant disregard for international humanitarian and human rights law.” Türk emphasized that while the bombing and ongoing violence in Gaza had already created a dire humanitarian crisis, the attacks on hospitals further exacerbated the situation. He described hospitals—the sanctuaries for the wounded—as being turned into “death traps” for Palestinians.
Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
According to Palestinian health officials, more than 45,500 Palestinians have been killed as a result of the ongoing conflict, with much of Gaza turned into a wasteland due to the continuous bombardment. The war began after a Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 Israelis and led to the abduction of 251 hostages, according to Israeli officials.
The humanitarian toll in Gaza continues to mount, with a collapsing healthcare system and widespread suffering among the population. The UN’s condemnation and the report’s findings highlight the urgent need for international intervention to protect civilians and uphold international law in the conflict.
The UN report paints a grim picture of the human rights violations taking place in Gaza, particularly regarding the destruction of its healthcare system. With ongoing attacks on hospitals, the international community faces growing pressure to hold Israel accountable for violations of international law and ensure that humanitarian efforts reach those in dire need. The situation remains one of the most critical challenges in the region, with no clear resolution in sight.