Palestinian Aid Group Raises Concern over Ongoing Israeli Targeting of Gaza Hospitals
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Palestine Red Crescent Society reported continuous artillery and air strikes in the Tal al-Hawa area in northern Gaza near the Al-Quds Hospital, creating a harrowing situation for the facility and its occupants.
"The building is trembling, and the displaced civilians and the working crews are experiencing fear and panic," the Red Crescent conveyed through a social media update.
Al-Quds Hospital is currently providing refuge to hundreds of patients and over 12,000 displaced civilians in Gaza, making it a critical facility for the overwhelmed region.
On Monday, the Red Crescent disclosed that Israel had issued a warning to immediately evacuate the hospital. Legal experts and human rights advocates have emphasized that a direct hit on the medical facility would constitute a war crime.
Reports are emerging that Israeli air raids have targeted the vicinity of the European Hospital in southern Gaza, intensifying the dire situation in the region.
The Turkish-Palestinian Hospital in Gaza also fell victim to a "direct hit," resulting in damage and injuries on Monday.
Meanwhile, the director of the Indonesian Hospital reported that the hospital was struck for the third time early on Tuesday. As of now, the full extent of the damage remains undetermined.
UN Humanitarian Chief Expresses Concern Over Gaza's Future
The UN humanitarian chief, Martin Griffiths, has raised "very real fears" regarding the evolving situation in Gaza and the potential for further escalation.
Griffiths shared a statement delivered to the UN Security Council on his behalf by OCHA representative Lisa Doughten on Monday. Doughten emphasized the significance of humanitarian aid access in Gaza.
"We welcome the agreement that has allowed us to get some relief into Gaza via the Rafah border crossing (with Egypt). But these deliveries are a drop in the ocean compared with the vast scale of needs," Doughten stressed.
She highlighted the urgency of replenishing fuel supplies, which are crucial for powering essential services such as hospitals and water desalination plants, as well as facilitating the transport of humanitarian relief within Gaza.
Furthermore, Doughten noted the importance of having more than one entry point into Gaza, emphasizing that the Karem Abu Salem crossing between Israeli occupied territories and the Palestinian enclave is the sole crossing equipped to efficiently process a sufficient number of trucks, making it indispensable for humanitarian operations.