Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Sheikh Qassem, addressing the scouts: It is an honor for me to be among you
Sheikh Qassem, addressing the scouts: You are growing up at the very heart of the struggle, confronting the enemy, and embodying the spirit of resistance in all its forms
Sheikh Qassem, addressing the scouts: You are the bright future, and the Master of the Martyrs of the Ummah watched over you to nurture the spirit of commitment, determination, and hope
Hezbollah’s Secretary-General, Sheikh Naim Qassem, delivering a speech during the 'Sayyed’s Generations' festival
Occupied Palestine: Israeli occupation forces arrest 8 young men during a raid on the town of Silwad, east of Ramallah
Israeli media: No absolute victory promised by Netanyahu and some of his admirers, but a painful settlement
Israeli media: It must be said that the goals of the war launched by "Israel" in the weeks following October 7 are far from being achieved
Occupied Palestine: Clashes erupt between young men and occupation forces during a raid on the village of Beit Furik, east of Nablus.
Egypt: Three Qatari diplomats die in a car accident in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
Hamas official tells AFP disarmament 'out of the question'

War on Hospitals

  • Imad Hatbe Imad Hatbe
  • Source: Al Mayadeen English
  • 27 Mar 2024 00:52
  • 6 Shares
5 Min Read

One cannot help but think why the world’s most “moral army" would execute Dr. Muhammad Zaher al-Nono in cold blood for refusing to evacuate his critically injured patient.

  • x
  • War on Hospitals
    The “free” world still denies evidence of war crimes targeting hospitals (Illustrated by Hady Dbouk; Al Mayadeen English)

Article 8 of the Geneva Convention defines war crimes. Two definitions outlined in this statute relative to the article at hand are “intentionally directing attacks against buildings dedicated to religion, education, art, science or charitable purposes, historic monuments, hospitals and places where the sick and wounded are collected, provided they are not military objectives” and “intentionally directing attacks against buildings, material, medical units and transport, and personnel using the distinctive emblems of the Geneva Conventions in conformity with international law.”

The first attack on Palestinian hospitals that marked the beginning of the assault on medical establishments was the bombing of the Baptist Al-Ahli hospital on October 17, 2023, which killed 473 Palestinians taking refuge in the hospital including children, women, elderly and medical staff. No one can ever forget the press conference held amid the bodies. At the time, the world was outraged saying "Israel" would never bomb a hospital, it does not participate in war crimes. It was simply a Palestinian rocket that had backfired, they claimed. Six months into "Israel’s" assault on Gaza, the world now knows it was not a Palestinian rocket, but to admit it means they have to admit "Israel" is committing war crimes.

The second time around, "Israel" figured that maybe it should provide a more reasonable excuse before attacking a hospital. When they attacked Al-Shifa Hospital on November 14, 2023, they claimed that Hamas fighters were hiding in tunnels under the hospital and that the captives were kept under Al-Shifa Hospital. Ten days after a long military siege on the hospital killing hundreds, no hostages or Hamas fighters were found. Most notable was the Israeli President admitting that "Israel" built the tunnels under the hospital many years ago after convincing the world of the need to attack Al-Shifa due to Hamas-built tunnels. Yet, the world remained silent.

Related News

Trump’s Gaza Proposal Isn’t a Peace Plan, It Repackages the War

On the edge of the abyss: A story of displacement, survival from massacre

Last month, the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis was attacked by Israeli tanks and hundreds of soldiers. This left 300,000 Palestinians living in Khan Younis with one hospital with a capacity of 20 beds. The hospital director was detained, thus joining the Israeli prize collection of hospital directors detained, which include Dr.  Muhammad Abu Salmiya, director of Al-Shifa Hospital, Dr. Ahmad Kahlout, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, and Dr. Ahmad Muhana, director of Al-Awdah Hospital. Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, wrote on his X account: “Nasser hospital in #Gaza is not functional anymore, after a weeklong siege followed by the ongoing raid. Both yesterday and the day before, the @WHO team was not permitted to enter the hospital to assess the conditions of the patients and critical medical needs, despite reaching the hospital compound to deliver fuel alongside partners. There are still about 200 patients in the hospital. At least 20 need to be urgently referred to other hospitals to receive health care; medical referral is every patient’s right. The cost of delays will be paid by patients’ lives.”

On March 18, Al-Shifa Medical Complex was violated for the third time since October 7. 170 patients and displaced Palestinians were killed and 800 individuals were detained of whom more than 100 were medical staff. They claimed a large-scale operation was underway to capture Hamas fighters in the tunnels again. However, one cannot help but think why the world’s most “moral army", which is operating under its “right to defend itself”, would then execute Dr. Muhammad Zaher al-Nono in cold blood for refusing to evacuate his critically injured patient. Why has this “moral army" now destroyed over 26 hospitals, killed 283 medical staff, and bombed 100 ambulances? Let us pause, close our eyes, and imagine what would be the world’s reaction if this happened in Ukraine. 

Despite the lack of any corroborating evidence to their claims, with no confirmation of military activity inside any of the hospitals they have raided, the “free” world still denies evidence of war crimes. Even with announcements from international bodies such as UNRWA, WFP, and WHO about attacks on medical facilities and staff, "Israel" will not be condemned. What is the accepted evidence? Nobody truly knows the answer, or if there is an answer at all.

"Israel" is winning the war on hospitals, while humanity is losing the war for human rights. The killing of innocent civilians continues. 

A doctor and a friend from Gaza wrote to me: “Do not write about us, just pray that we die before our loved ones.”

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect Al Mayadeen’s editorial stance.
  • Gaza Strip
  • Operation Al-Aqsa Flood
  • Al-Shifa Medical Complex
  • Al-Ahli Hospital
  • Israeli aggression
  • Israel
  • Baptist Hospital
  • Gaza genocide
  • Al-Shifa hospital
  • Israeli occupation
  • Nasser Medical Complex
  • Gaza
Imad Hatbe

Imad Hatbe

Jordanian journalist

War on Gaza

War on Gaza

Most Read

All
From the beginning, GB News has been a Zionist asset. Is there any part of UK society that is not infiltrated and colonised by the Zionist movement? (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

Reform UK, GB News and the Zionist infiltration of the British far right

  • Opinion
  • 28 Sep 2025
Barrack explicitly asserted that the US is supplying the Lebanese army to fight its own people, even laughing at the idea that this support is intended to confront "Israel". (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

Why the US is so open about its intentions for Lebanese civil war

  • Opinion
  • 30 Sep 2025
All these decades and the billions of dollars spent by the Zionist Lobby on its propaganda is being rapidly undone, all thanks to the Israeli murder machine exposing itself. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

Israeli seizure of social media is a declaration of defeat

  • Opinion
  • 6 Oct 2025
There is a great uncertainty over how the president will use the remaining three years of his term, to say nothing about his prospects for re-election. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Iranian opponents of diplomacy have definitively won the debate

  • Opinion
  • 4 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
Gaza: An Epic of Resilience and Valor

More from this writer

All
The story untold

The story untold

Do you condemn Hamas?

Do you condemn Hamas?

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS