Health minister slams Israeli attack on Gaza hospital, urges Guterres to take action

TEHRAN –Health Minister Mohammad-Reza Zafarqandi in a letter to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, has condemned the renewed attacks by the Zionist regime on Kamal Adwan Hospital, the only active medical center in northern Gaza, calling for immediate action by the United Nations.

Israeli soldiers stormed Gaza’s last functioning hospital on Friday and forced Palestinian medics and patients to leave on foot to an unknown destination.

“The wild, renewed raid on Kamal Adwan hospital, the only functioning medical center in northern Gaza, and Sana’s airport in Yemen, by the Israeli forces in the presence of Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus the Director-General of the World Health Organization, are other typical examples of violation of international laws and human rights.

Over the past year, the world has witnessed Israel’s fatal attacks on health facilities killing and wounding health officials, physicians, nurses, and rescuers, while the United Nations has failed to address these violations effectively.

Hereby, I strongly condemn these attacks, and call on the United Nations to make its best efforts to boost synergy among international organizations in condemning ongoing attacks and take serious, immediate actions against Israel,” the letter reads.

The Israeli army issued a statement confirming it launched a raid on the Kamal Adwan Hospital. It claimed that Hamas uses the hospital as a command center without providing any evidence. 

A wave of Israeli air attacks hit Yemen’s main airport just as the World Health Organization’s director-general said he was about to board a flight there, wounding one of the United Nations plane’s crew, the WHO chief has said.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a post on X that he was just meters away from the attack on Sanaa airport on Thursday.

“As we were about to board our flight from Sanaa … the airport came under aerial bombardment. One of our plane’s crew members was injured,” he said.

“The air traffic control tower, the departure lounge – just a few meters from where we were – and the runway were damaged,” he said, adding that he and his colleagues were safe.

There was no immediate comment from Israel on the incident.

The spokesperson for the World Health Organization expressed concern about the deteriorating health situation in Gaza after Israeli troops stormed the hospital. 

“We are witnessing the targeting of civilians and the health system in Gaza,” Margaret Harris told Al Jazeera. “What Gaza’s hospitals are exposed to is horrific, and what we are witnessing represents a punishment for the population.”

According to international humanitarian law, health organizations must not be targeted. The spokesperson said the UN health agency was not a law enforcement agency and does not have a mandate beyond supporting the Strip’s health system.

On Thursday, nearly 50 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli air strike on a building near Kamal Adwan Hospital, including five medical staff, the Health Ministry in Gaza said. 

MT/MG