The raid, reportedly by Israeli forces, saw some areas of the hospital burnt and severely damaged, including the laboratory, surgical unit and medical store. The director of the hospital, Dr. Abu Safiya, is thought to have been detained during the raid. WHO has lost contact with him.

A number of people were reportedly stripped and forced to walk toward southern Gaza, whilst critically ill patients were forced to relocate to the Indonesian Hospital, which lacks the necessary equipment and supplies to provide adequate care. WHO says that the movement and treatment of patients under such conditions pose grave risks to their survival. An urgent WHO mission to Indonesian Hospital is being planned for Sunday to safely move them to southern Gaza for continued care.

Escalating attacks

The WHO described the raid as part of the “systematic dismantling of the health system”, noting that, over a two-month period, attacks on health workers and the hospitals in the area have taken place almost daily: this week alone, bombardments in its vicinity reportedly killed 50 people, including five health workers from Kamal Adwan Hospital.

The deployment of international emergency medical teams has been repeatedly denied and, despite the increasingly dire needs for emergency and trauma services and supplies, only 10 out of 21 WHO missions to Kamal Adwan have been partially facilitated between early October and December.

Despite the restrictions, the WHO missions succeeded in delivering 45,000 litres of fuel, medical supplies, blood, and food were delivered, and 114 patients along with 123 of their companions were transferred to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.