UNRWA says Gaza hospitals 'have become death traps'
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Only 14 hospitals out of 36 in Gaza are now partially operating, and are facing a severe shortage of supplies, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
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A dead child is brought to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital after Israeli army airstrikes targeted the al-Nuseirat and Maghazi camps in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, on January 2, 2025. (AP)
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) stated on Wednesday that hospitals in Gaza have turned into perilous environments.
In a post on X, the agency explained that families in Gaza are being devastated, with children freezing to death and starvation shortening lives.
In #Gaza:
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) January 8, 2025
🚨 hospitals are death traps
🚨 families are torn apart
🚨 children are freezing to death
🚨 starvation is cutting lives short#CeasefireNow
It called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
In #Gaza, humanitarian convoys have come under attack.
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) January 8, 2025
Shooting by Israeli Forces and looting by organised local gangs make aid delivery dangerous and difficult.
"We are between a rock and a hard place," @JulietteTouma tells @BBCNews.#NotATarget#CeasefireNow pic.twitter.com/w9rw0TUrT1
UNRWA's statements come in light of the ongoing bombing and direct targeting of hospitals, as the three public hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip, which are Kamal Adwan, Beit Hanoun, and the Indonesian Hospital, have been taken out of service by "Israel's" constant attacks.
Only 14 hospitals out of 36 in Gaza are now partially operating, and are facing a severe shortage of supplies, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
'Israel's' claims of armed groups using Gaza hospitals 'vague': UN
Late last month, a United Nations report released on December 31 revealed that Israeli strikes targeting hospitals and surrounding areas in the Gaza Strip have brought the Palestinian territory’s healthcare system to the brink of collapse.
The report, published by the UN Human Rights Office, expressed grave concerns regarding "Israel's" adherence to international law.
"Israel's pattern of deadly attacks on and near hospitals in Gaza, and associated combat, pushed the healthcare system to the brink of total collapse, with catastrophic effect on Palestinians' access to health and medical care," the UN Human Rights Office said in a statement.
Read next: Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip, concentrated on Kamal Adwan Hospital
The 23-page report, titled "Attacks on hospitals during the escalation of hostilities in Gaza," examines the period from October 7, 2023, to June 30, 2024.
According to the report, at least 136 strikes targeted 27 hospitals and 12 other medical facilities during this timeframe. These strikes resulted in significant casualties among healthcare workers, medics, and civilians while inflicting extensive damage to—if not complete destruction of—civilian infrastructure.
The report highlighted that international humanitarian law specifically protects medical personnel and hospitals, provided they are not involved in acts harmful to the enemy beyond their humanitarian role.
To justify its relentless attacks on the enclave's healthcare system, "Israel" has repeatedly claimed that Palestinian groups in Gaza were misusing hospitals for military purposes; however, the report deemed these allegations "vague".
