'Israel' killed over 1,000 doctors, nurses in Gaza
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The Gaza Government Media Office has accused "Israel" of systematically targeting the territory's healthcare system, resulting in devastating consequences for medical personnel and facilities.
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Dr. Suhaib Alhamss, the director of the Kuwaiti Hospital in Gaza's southern town of Rafah, gets ready to perform surgery on Thursday, January 11, 2024 (AP)
Over 1,000 doctors and nurses have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since last year, according to local authorities on Sunday.
“Over 310 other medical personnel were arrested, tortured, and executed in prisons,” stated the Gaza Government Media Office.
The statement further stressed that “the Israeli army also prevented the entry of medical supplies, health delegations, and hundreds of surgeons into Gaza.”
The Media Office further accused the Israeli military of intentionally targeting hospitals to weaken Gaza’s healthcare system.
“Hospitals have been a declared target for the Israeli army, which bombed, besieged, and stormed them, killing doctors and nurses, injuring others after directly targeting them,” the statement asserted.
Kamal Adwan Hospital director’s health deteriorates after Israeli strike
Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, is in deteriorating health after being injured in an Israeli drone strike on the facility last Saturday.
Media reports confirm that Abu Safiya was struck by shrapnel from a bomb dropped by an Israeli quadcopter drone while checking on patients in the hospital corridors. The attack also wounded at least a dozen others, including doctors, nurses, and administrative staff working in the emergency and reception department.
الدكتور حسام أبو صفية في حالة حرجة بسبب نزيف داخلي حاد ناجم عن إصابات بالشظايا التي يُعتقد أنها تسببت بتمزق الأوعية الدموية في فخذه. وهو بحاجة ماسة إلى استشارة جراح أوعية دموية ورعاية طبية متقدمة.
— Dr.Muneer Alboursh د.منيرالبرش (@Dr_Muneer1) November 24, 2024
Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya is in critical condition due to severe internal bleeding… pic.twitter.com/Xywc61cKyk
The assault occurred as invading Israeli forces continued targeting the hospital with drone strikes and gunfire from Saturday afternoon until midnight. According to reports, the bombing directly and repeatedly struck the entrance of the emergency and reception department, hospital courtyards, gates, and power generators.
The strikes severely disrupted critical systems, including the hospital’s power generator, as well as oxygen and water supplies, while traumatizing the wounded, including women and children. Authorities issued urgent warnings about the risk of a fire breaking out at the hospital due to the bombardment.
In widely circulated video footage, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital expressed his unwavering commitment to his work despite being injured. He stated, "I will continue to provide care no matter the cost… it’s an honor for me to serve people that are still here."
From his hospital bed in the ICU at Kamal Adwan Hospital, surrounded by injured and standing medical staff, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya delivered a powerful speech. He condemned the Israeli occupation army for directly targeting the hospital for seven consecutive days and using… pic.twitter.com/Je0RaLw1cU
— Eye on Palestine (@EyeonPalestine) November 24, 2024
He added, "We will continue to provide humanitarian care no matter what. We are steadfast before the world, which is unjust and has violated our rights. On a daily basis, they [Israeli army] have violated our rights, targeted us, targeted our workers, targeted me… God willing, I will heal and continue to provide care."
A respected doctor and advocate for human rights, Abu Safiya has been regularly updating the public on the deteriorating healthcare situation in Gaza since the outset of the Israeli genocide in early October 2023. He has consistently condemned "Israel’s relentless bombardment of hospitals and medical facilities.
The attack on Abu Safiya occurred just a day after he issued an urgent plea for international organizations to intervene and end the severe Israeli siege on northern Gaza.
The Israeli occupation has killed 44,211 Palestinians and injured 104,567 others since October 7, 2023, Gaza's Health Ministry confirmed Sunday in its daily report.
