LONDON, U.K. — Human rights organizations have alleged that the Israeli military is deliberately targeting Gaza’s health care system amid ongoing conflict, resulting in widespread detentions and damage to medical facilities that have left the sector in crisis.
According to Healthcare Workers Watch, a Palestinian advocacy group, as of February, Israeli forces have detained 162 medical staff, including 20 doctors and several of Gaza’s top health specialists. The group’s reports highlight the removal of these workers from their hospital positions, worsening a health crisis exacerbated by recent military actions. Some 24 of these workers remain unaccounted for following their detention.
The conflict, now intensifying, originated on Oct. 7, 2023, following a deadly assault by Hamas on southern Israel. This incident precipitated an extensive Israeli military response throughout the Gaza Strip, systematically impacting its medical infrastructure. Testimonies from recently released medical staff depict systematic abuse, including targeted detentions and alleged torture carried out by Israeli forces.
The dire situation was starkly illustrated when an Israeli airstrike recently demolished parts of Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City — the last operational medical facility in the area. This attack effectively annihilated the hospital’s intensive care and surgery departments, with the Israeli government claiming the hospital harbored a Hamas command center, a claim for which it has yet to provide evidence.
The international community, including countries like Saudi Arabia, has vociferously condemned the strike, calling it a “heinous crime.” Reports from the United Nations and various health organizations paint a grim picture of a health infrastructure on the brink. The World Health Organization cites that only 16 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals remain even partly functional, with a drastic reduction in available hospital beds amid rising casualties.
Meanwhile, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel and other watchdogs suggest that many health workers are being arrested under the Incarceration of Unlawful Combatants Law, which allows for indefinite detention without proof. Details shared by detainees describe humiliating and brutal treatment, including physical violence and sexual abuse, during their detention periods.
Specific accounts include that of a 32-year-old surgeon forcibly stripped and paraded, along with testimonies of other medical staff subjected to extreme physical and psychological torment intended to break their will and ability to function as health practitioners.
Adding to the grim tableau, a report by the U.N. on Detainee Treatment has accused Israeli forces of engaging in activities that amount to war crimes, including the targeted killing of medical personnel and the destruction of medical vehicles. These actions, the report states, collectively constitute a strategic approach to debilitate Gaza’s healthcare system.
In response to international criticism, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israeli Prison Service deny allegations of abuse and mistreatment, insisting that all operations adhere to international law and that any misconduct is investigated.
Yet, the stories from Gaza suggest a different reality, one where health workers are systematically targeted and detained, often under harsh conditions that severely hinder their capacity to provide necessary medical care.
This report raises serious questions about the conduct of military operations in conflict zones and the protection afforded to medical personnel per international humanitarian law. It also reflects the broader humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza, urging the international community to call for accountability and a reevaluation of strategies that endanger civilian lives and fundamental human rights.
As with all complex stories, the available information should be viewed cautiously, and readers should be aware that the facts and circumstances as presented may not fully capture the breadth of the situation. For inquiries or corrections, please contact [email protected].