United Nations, Mar 20 (EFE).- The Israeli military has committed war crimes during its occupations of Gaza Strip hospitals that caused the “deaths and unnecessary suffering” of Palestinian patients, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Thursday.
Witnesses from three hospitals in the Strip said the Israeli forces denied electricity, water, food, and medicine to patients, shot civilians, mistreated health workers, and deliberately destroyed medical facilities and equipment, HRW said in its report.
The organization interviewed nine patients and two healthcare workers who were present when Israeli troops stormed and occupied Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia, and Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis between November 2023 and March 2024.
In these centers, where during this time at least 84 patients died due to lack of medical care—not counting those killed by bombings and gunfire — Israeli military forces “severely interfered” with the treatment of the wounded and sick, the organization noted.
The healthcare workers interviewed said that the troops refused to bring medicine and other supplies to patients and blocked access to hospitals and ambulances, resulting in the deaths of the wounded and chronically ill, including children undergoing dialysis.
According to HRW, this deprivation of food, water, medicines, and other supplies by the Israeli authorities constitutes “the crime against humanity of extermination and acts of genocide.
“One of the sources cited by the organization, Ansam al-Sharif, who was hospitalized after losing a leg in an Israeli airstrike and needed crutches to walk, said that she and the other patients at Nasser Hospital went four days without food, water, or medicine.
“The Israeli military’s occupation of Gaza’s hospitals has transformed sites for healing and recovery into centers of death and mistreatment,” said Bill Van Esveld, HRW’s associate children’s rights director.
“Those responsible for these horrific abuses, including senior officials, should be held to account.”
Forced displacement without assistance
HRW also raised forced evacuations of hospitals ordered by Israeli forces, which it said put both patients and medical staff in danger, as they were forced to move without assistance even if they were on stretchers or wheelchairs.
The troops then unlawfully burned or destroyed some hospital buildings after the evacuations, it added.
According to Al-Shifa Hospital administrators cited by HRW, 40 patients died there in one week alone, largely due to power cuts, when Israeli forces surrounded and cut off access to the center then raided it.
Israeli authorities have not investigated alleged serious violations of international humanitarian law by its forces in Gaza hospitals, including “apparent war crimes,” the organization said.
HRW emphasized that international humanitarian law establishes that parties involved in a conflict must respect and protect hospitals, as well as take all possible precautions to minimize harm to patients, staff, and facilities.
The report comes just two days after Israel broke its ceasefire with Hamas, carrying out bombings that have killed more than 400 Palestinians. EFE
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