A recent Israeli airstrike on a field hospital in southern Gaza has left one security guard dead and injured 10 others, escalating concerns about the ongoing conflict's impact on healthcare.
Israeli Strike Claims Lives in Gaza's Field Hospital Amid Ongoing Conflict
Israeli Strike Claims Lives in Gaza's Field Hospital Amid Ongoing Conflict
Recent airstrikes in Gaza have raised alarms about the safety of medical facilities as tensions continue.
The article text:
An Israeli military strike on Tuesday resulted in the death of a security guard and injuries to ten patients at the Kuwait Specialty Field Hospital in southern Gaza, according to the hospital’s director. This incident came just two days after an Israeli attack on the Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, which has been one of the last operational medical centres in the territory. Israel asserts that the Al Ahli strike was aimed at a Hamas command center, although evidence for this claim has not been presented.
The Israeli military is currently investigating reports regarding the strike on the Kuwait field hospital. Dr. Suhaib al-Hamss, the hospital's director, confirmed that the guard was killed while protecting the entrance, and that four of the wounded sustained serious injuries. "It was a powerful strike," Dr. al-Hamss shared in a phone interview. "Everything fell over."
The ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza has significantly damaged healthcare infrastructure in the region. The World Health Organization (WHO) indicated last month that 33 out of Gaza's 36 hospitals had sustained damage during the conflict, with only 21 remaining partially operational. The WHO also stated on Saturday that hospitals in Gaza are facing an impending shortage of medical supplies, as Israeli blockades have halted aid deliveries over the past six weeks.
Israel accuses Hamas of misusing healthcare facilities for military purposes, a claim that Hamas denies. Dr. al-Hamss emphasized that the hospital's location was known to Israeli authorities and had been communicated through intermediaries prior to the attack. He reiterated that the facility operates solely for medical purposes, stating, "We’re not doing anything other than medicine."
Currently, the Kuwait Specialty Field Hospital is treating approximately 3,500 patients daily, a critical resource amid the healthcare system's collapse in Gaza. Dr. al-Hamss remarked, “The hospital is providing a solution to the people in light of the collapse of the health sector in Gaza.”
Patrick Kingsley contributed reporting to this article. Adam Rasgon covers Israeli and Palestinian affairs for The Times in Jerusalem.
An Israeli military strike on Tuesday resulted in the death of a security guard and injuries to ten patients at the Kuwait Specialty Field Hospital in southern Gaza, according to the hospital’s director. This incident came just two days after an Israeli attack on the Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, which has been one of the last operational medical centres in the territory. Israel asserts that the Al Ahli strike was aimed at a Hamas command center, although evidence for this claim has not been presented.
The Israeli military is currently investigating reports regarding the strike on the Kuwait field hospital. Dr. Suhaib al-Hamss, the hospital's director, confirmed that the guard was killed while protecting the entrance, and that four of the wounded sustained serious injuries. "It was a powerful strike," Dr. al-Hamss shared in a phone interview. "Everything fell over."
The ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza has significantly damaged healthcare infrastructure in the region. The World Health Organization (WHO) indicated last month that 33 out of Gaza's 36 hospitals had sustained damage during the conflict, with only 21 remaining partially operational. The WHO also stated on Saturday that hospitals in Gaza are facing an impending shortage of medical supplies, as Israeli blockades have halted aid deliveries over the past six weeks.
Israel accuses Hamas of misusing healthcare facilities for military purposes, a claim that Hamas denies. Dr. al-Hamss emphasized that the hospital's location was known to Israeli authorities and had been communicated through intermediaries prior to the attack. He reiterated that the facility operates solely for medical purposes, stating, "We’re not doing anything other than medicine."
Currently, the Kuwait Specialty Field Hospital is treating approximately 3,500 patients daily, a critical resource amid the healthcare system's collapse in Gaza. Dr. al-Hamss remarked, “The hospital is providing a solution to the people in light of the collapse of the health sector in Gaza.”
Patrick Kingsley contributed reporting to this article. Adam Rasgon covers Israeli and Palestinian affairs for The Times in Jerusalem.
