Israeli forces have breached the Kamal Adwan Hospital compound in northern Gaza, prompting the United Nations to describe the ongoing situation as one of the war’s “darkest moments.” The Israeli military entered the hospital twice within the past 24 hours, reportedly opening fire on parts of the facility, according to the Gaza health ministry and the hospital director.
As injured civilians from surrounding areas flood in due to Israel’s renewed offensive, the hospital is running dangerously low on supplies and desperately needs aid. “The Israeli military is effectively subjecting an entire population to bombing, siege, and risk of starvation,” warned UN human rights chief Volker Turk, suggesting that Israel’s actions could amount to crimes against humanity.
The Gaza health ministry reported that Israeli troops detained all male medical staff at the hospital and confined female staff in one of the rooms without food or water. Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the hospital director, described the situation as dire, stating that Israeli tanks and bulldozers entered the complex, targeting various departments with shelling. “Instead of receiving aid, we are receiving tanks,” he lamented.
Despite an hours-long communications blackout and ongoing bombardment, Dr. Abu Safiya confirmed that Israeli troops remained inside the hospital, where they were interrogating him about his media statements. The hospital, one of three minimally operational facilities in northern Gaza, is critically positioned near heavy military activity in Beit Lahiya and the Jabalya Refugee Camp, receiving a majority of the injured.
World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed deep concern over losing contact with personnel at Kamal Adwan Hospital, given the high number of patients and civilians seeking refuge there. The Israeli military justified its actions by citing intelligence on the presence of terrorists in the area, stating it had previously facilitated patient evacuations while maintaining emergency services. However, WHO highlighted the urgent need for humanitarian assistance, noting that the hospital is currently sheltering about 200 patients and many more civilians.
