Israeli officials denounce Hamas, the Islamic fundamentalist organization that has governed Gaza, as evil terrorists. Hamas’s October 7 massacre of civilians and seizing over 200 hostages was a reactionary attack that reflected their reactionary Islamic fundamentalist outlook and program. And Israel claims to be different—a country that abides by the rules of war and doesn’t attack civilians. 

It’s true, Israel is different. It targets far more civilians, rains down far more high-tech death on innocents, and commits vastly greater war crimes than Hamas possibly can. 

Look at the “targets” Israel is attacking now in Gaza City: the many thousands of civilians sheltering in hospitals, schools, or other United Nations facilities—places supposedly protected from attack by international law and convention. These are precisely the places Israel has consciously and deliberately targeted, especially this past week.

Israel Is Blockading and Bombing Hospitals 

Breaking news, November 12: As we go to press it is being reported that Al-Quds Hospital has shut down due to lack of fuel and power, and that Al-Quds and Al-Shifa Hospitals have been surrounded by Israeli tanks and troops. Al-Shifa is reportedly under military attack by Israeli snipers and bombardments. It is also running out of power, forcing doctors to take three dozen premature babies out of their incubators. Several babies have reportedly died, and the rest are hanging onto life by a thread. 

Under international law, hospitals are supposed to be protected from attack. That’s why an estimated 122,000 displaced Palestinians have taken shelter at hospitals in an attempt to escape Israel’s bombing. 

But on Friday, November 10, Israeli tanks surrounded four Gaza City hospitals from all directions: al-Rantisi Hospital, al-Nasr Hospital, and the eye and mental health hospitals.

Some 60,000 civilians have been sheltering at Gaza’s largest hospital, Al Shifa. It’s been hit at least four times by Israeli bombs and missiles. Israeli military officials try to justify this war crime by claiming—without evidence—that Al Shifa is part of the Hamas war machine. 

Israeli strikes have also hit the medical complex that includes Al Rantisi and al Nasr Children’s hospitals where 16,000 were sheltering. Israel has attacked Al Quds Hospital where some 14,000 had taken refuge. Its strikes hit the al Fakhura School where 16,000 had taken shelter, killing 15 civilians. 

There have also been Israeli air or artillery strikes near three other hospitals and five other schools. There have been many strikes in Gaza’s densely populated refugee camps—where 1.7 million Gazans had been living. 

All told, there have been 270—yes, 270—attacks on Gaza’s health facilities. Israel is even targeting ambulances carrying the wounded and injured—damaging or destroying 57 of them.

Twenty-two of Gaza’s 35 hospitals have now stopped functioning, and the rest are not functioning normally. They’ve been damaged by Israeli strikes, run out of fuel, or both. Israel’s siege blocking shipments of fuel, food, water, medicine, and other basic goods has taken a terrible toll on hospitals and medical care. This blockade is a form of collective punishment, also a war crime. The tiny trickle of aid Israel is allowing in—and the U.S. promotes as humanitarian “progress”— does nothing to change that. In fact, it’s aimed at easing the pressure on Israel so it can freely continue its genocidal war. 

In the face of this, many Palestinian, along with some international medical workers, have courageously continued to provide medical care as best they can. There are wrenching stories of doctors operating on patients lying on the floor, by the light of cellphones, without anesthesia… every day having to choose who they can treat and possibly save, and who must be left to die. All this is happening because of Israel’s criminal war and blockade. 

Sources:

Al-Quds Hospital halts operations as it runs out of fuel and power, the Red Crescent says, New York Times, November 12, 2023

A Look at the Strikes Pummeling Northern Gaza, New York Times, November 11

As Gaza Hospitals Collapse, Medical Workers Face the Hardest Choices, New York Times, November 6

The W.H.O. chief says more than 250 attacks on Gaza and West Bank health care facilities have been verified, New York Times, November 10

Gaza’s main hospital suffers power outage as Israeli forces close in, New York Times, November 11

Gaza City Hospitals Are Caught in Deadly Crossfire, New York Times, November 10

Healthcare Facilities Under Attack in Gaza, Al Jazeera graphic, November 7

Which of Gaza’s hospitals is Israel threatening?  Al Jazeera, November 10