Human Rights Watch Values Israel Committed War Crimes During Attacks On Hospitals In Gaza

IDF Chief of Staff (at that time) Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi at Al Shifa Gaza Hospital. (Source: Israel Defense Forces)

JAKARTA - Human Rights Watch (HRW) confirmed Israeli forces committed war crimes during their raids on medical facilities in the Gaza Strip, Palestine which resulted in the death of Palestinian patients and the suffering of dozens more.

In a detailed report released on Thursday, HRW explained how Israeli forces caused heavy losses, both in patients and medical workers, by not providing them with important resources and targeting health care facilities during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

According to HRW, Israeli forces caused the death of at least 84 Palestinian patients by not giving them basic needs such as electricity, water, food, and medicines.

The human rights organization condemned a blockade imposed by Israeli forces against hospitals in Gaza, which limits access to ambulances and medical supplies.

"As a result, medical treatment is severely hampered, which causes the death of patients who cannot be treated properly," HRW reported, quoted from WAFA March 21.

Many victims are chronically ill or have conditions that require immediate medical intervention, such as children undergoing analysis, the report continued.

The HRW report was based on interviews with nine patients and two health workers who were present at three Gaza hospitals during Israeli airstrikes and occupation: al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City (November 2023 and March 2024), Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia (January 2024) and Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis (February 2024).

This testimony illustrates a terrible picture of the suffering experienced by patients and medical staff following the Israeli military siege and occupation of these facilities.

The blockade imposed by Israeli forces against these hospitals significantly hampers their ability to treat patients. Power rejection causes a critical situation where medical equipment, including ventilators, cannot work, said HRW.

In addition to the power outage, HRW reports that Israeli forces are blocking the delivery of medical supplies and preventing ambulances from reaching hospitals.

As a result, many patients, especially those requiring urgent treatment such as being analyzed or treated for severe injuries, do not have the resources needed to survive.

The refusal of food, water and medicine exacerbated the suffering and condition of many patients worsened due to the siege carried out by Israel.

The HRW report further said that one of the most dire aspects of Israel's occupation of Gaza's medical facilities was direct targeting patients, health workers, and medical equipment.

Witnesses reported Israeli soldiers shooting civilians trying to escape from the hospital, including patients and staff members using wheelchairs or stretchers. The HRW report also details how Israeli forces forcibly evacuate hospitals without providing adequate support or alternatives for patients unable to move on their own.

In some cases, Israeli soldiers specifically targeted medical personnel. Reports from health workers illustrate how they were mistreated, threatened, and forced to leave their posts under pressure.

Israeli forces' attacks directly violated the Geneva Convention, which protected medical personnel and facilities from attacks, according to the report.

Despite this protection, the HRW report concluded the Israeli forces' actions constitute war crimes, as they deliberately target medical facilities and hinder efforts to provide essential care for the injured and sick.

One of the most significant incidents highlighted in the HRW report occurred on October 13, 2023, when the Israeli military issued an eviction order for northern Gaza, including al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical facility in Palestine.

Although there were no safe evacuation routes, the Israeli military forced thousands of civilians and patients who fled to flee the hospital, thereby endangering their lives.

One of the most terrible testimonies came from Ridana Zukhra, a 23-year-old woman who was shot by an Israeli tank as she tried to escape from al-Shifa with her children, brother, and cousin. Her five-year-old daughter was seriously injured in the attack, and her leg had to be amputated.

Israeli airstrikes on October 13 also targeted ambulances evacuating patients, killing at least 21 people, including five children. Attacks on ambulances, protected by international law, further worsened the loss of life in the conflict.

Furthermore, between November 11 and 17, 2023, Israeli forces blockaded al-Shifa Hospital, which houses about 600 patients, including premature babies and individuals who need to be analyzed. As a result of the blockade, 40 patients died during this period.

On November 15, Israeli forces stormed the hospital, and patients, including those who were critically ill or in a coma, were forced to be evacuated even though they were unable to move. Some of these patients died due to a lack of proper treatment during forced evacuation.

The HRW report also highlighted some of the patients undergoing analysis refusing to leave the hospital, and their fate remains uncertain.

In another incident, a maternity patient who was transferred to another facility after being forcibly evacuated from al-Shifa died due to inadequate intensive care at the new facility. These incidents underscore the extent to which Israeli forces have obstructed medical treatment and caused unnecessary suffering and loss of life.

Although Israel has repeatedly claimed its attacks on Gaza's medical facilities could be justified for allegedly being used as a military command center by Palestinian armed groups. HRW noted no verifiable evidence was provided to support these allegations.

HRW emphasized that targeting hospitals, medical staff, and patients is a clear violation of international humanitarian law.