On Monday, the Israeli military announced its withdrawal from the Kamal Adwan Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip, following a three-day operation that has garnered significant attention and concern. During this raid, Palestinian health officials reported the detention of nearly all medical personnel present at the facility, alongside the tragic deaths of two children.
According to an Israeli military spokesperson, the forces exited the hospital after detaining nearly 100 individuals suspected of being militants. This operation was part of a broader offensive aimed at combating Hamas fighters in the region, which has escalated over several weeks. The military had stormed the hospital on Friday after intense firefights erupted in its vicinity.
The Israeli official, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the operation, indicated that once troops entered the hospital complex, there were no significant gun battles. However, the raid was met with widespread condemnation from various quarters, particularly concerning the treatment of medical staff and patients.
The Gaza health ministry issued a statement on Monday asserting that Israeli forces had “detained or expelled all the medical staff” from the hospital, leaving only one pediatrician to care for the patients. The ministry urgently called for international organizations to send medical teams to the facility, and it encouraged skilled medical professionals in Gaza to come forth to assist the wounded and ailing.
In a further explanation, the Israeli military official noted that troops had dismantled oxygen tanks within the hospital to ensure none were rigged with explosives. “We haven’t damaged the medical infrastructure, but specific findings we discovered necessitated dismantling, which is why we observed some damage,” the official remarked.
Reports from last Thursday highlighted a chaotic scene at Kamal Adwan Hospital, where a team from the U.N. World Health Organization (WHO) delivered supplies. Patients were reportedly lying on the floors, and medical staff were overwhelmed by the number of casualties. The following morning, the Gaza health ministry claimed that Israeli forces had stormed the complex, detaining hundreds of patients, medical personnel, and displaced individuals. The WHO’s director later confirmed that they had lost contact with staff at the hospital.
As the situation escalated, the health ministry described conditions at the hospital as “alarmingly deteriorating,” with Israeli troops conducting searches and firing shots, which caused panic among the approximately 600 individuals present. Tragically, two children in the intensive care unit lost their lives when generators failed during the military operation.
While the Israeli military did not comment on the fatalities reported, they stated that the hospital had received medical supplies, including fuel and blood. In recent weeks, they also relocated 88 patients, caregivers, and staff members to other healthcare facilities within Gaza.
This is not the first time Kamal Adwan Hospital has faced such scrutiny; Israeli forces previously besieged and raided the hospital last December, detaining its director. This month, the Gaza health ministry revealed that the hospital was one of three ordered to evacuate as the Israeli military intensified its offensive against what it described as a resurgence of Hamas in northern Gaza.
Contributors: Aaron Boxerman reported from Jerusalem, and Gabby Sobelman contributed from Rehovot, Israel.
