In brief
Recent airstrikes near Kamal Adwan hospital in northern Gaza have tragically resulted in numerous casualties and forced a desperate evacuation of patients amid a tightening blockade.
One of the last operating hospitals in northern Gaza, Kamal Adwan, has become the center of a major evacuation operation by the Israeli military, according to medical personnel on-site. The evacuation followed a series of devastating airstrikes in the area, reportedly resulting in the deaths of around 50 individuals, including medical staff. Eid Sabbah, head of the nursing department at the hospital, shared that Israeli forces provided the administration with merely 15 minutes to relocate patients and staff to the hospital’s courtyard. Following this brief window, Israeli troops intervened to remove the remaining patients. Dr. Sabbah expressed grave concerns over the evacuation, particularly for those in critical care. “There are patients in the ICU department in a coma and in need of ventilation machines,” he stated, indicating that their transfer could jeopardize their lives. While the Israeli military claimed to be investigating reports of casualties among medical staff, it had previously indicated plans to transfer the patients from Kamal Adwan to a nearby Indonesian hospital that had also undergone an evacuation earlier that week. According to Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan, the harrowing bombardments targeted a building directly across from the hospital, killing not only medical workers—a pediatrician, a lab technician, and others—but also their family members. Additionally, the strikes claimed the lives of two paramedics, who were targeted while they attempted to assist victims of the initial attack. This sequence of events unfolded amid an ongoing and severe Israeli blockade placed on parts of northern Gaza since October, aimed at countering Hamas activities in the region. With the United Nations warning of a “near-total siege,” access to vital aid for an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 individuals remains heavily restricted. Hospital officials have made fervent appeals for protection, citing the increasing frequency of Israeli airstrikes on their facility. Meanwhile, humanitarian organizations like Oxfam have reported significant delays and obstructions imposed by the Israeli military that have thwarted efforts to deliver critical supplies to the beleaguered area. As the conflict intensifies, the plight of patients, medical personnel, and civilians caught in the crossfire remains dire, highlighting the urgent need for intervention and support from the international community.
