The situation at Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza has reached a critical point as staff report being surrounded by Israeli forces and ordered to evacuate, along with patients, following a nearby airstrike.
According to the hospital director, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the facility is under siege, with ongoing threats to its operation and safety. The airstrike in the vicinity reportedly killed about 50 people, including medical workers, as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens.
Dr. Abu Safiya shared on social media early Friday that Israeli forces were demanding the evacuation of the hospital’s staff and patients, forcing them to gather in the yard of the hospital compound.
This was corroborated by a nurse and a journalist inside the hospital who also reported being ordered to leave. In audio messages reviewed by New York Front, the dire circumstances faced by those inside were further emphasized.
The hospital itself has not been spared from the violence. On Thursday, a fire broke out in the archive department following an Israeli attack, with heavy gunfire audible in the background.
Dr. Abu Safiya has previously stated that Kamal Adwan Hospital has been under consistent assault in recent months. Late Thursday, he reported that about 50 people, including five medical workers, were killed in an airstrike near the hospital.
Among the deceased were pediatrician Dr. Ahmed Samour, a lab technician, and a maintenance worker. Dr. Samour was killed while returning to his home, located opposite the hospital, when the strike occurred.
Additionally, two paramedics en route to the hospital were killed, their bodies left in the street due to the ongoing violence.
The Israeli military has denied direct involvement in strikes near the hospital, stating they are “unaware of strikes in the area of Kamal Adwan Hospital.”
However, they added that claims regarding the deaths of medical personnel are under investigation. They also noted discrepancies between casualty numbers reported by local sources and their own intelligence.
Despite these statements, the humanitarian toll in northern Gaza continues to escalate, with the hospital at the center of the crisis.
Israeli forces have intensified operations in northern Gaza since early October, targeting what they describe as a resurgent Hamas presence. This renewed offensive has devastated the region, destroying homes, killing families, and creating severe shortages of food, water, and medical supplies.
Kamal Adwan Hospital, a crucial healthcare facility in the region, has been directly affected, with daily reports of gunfire and multiple raids on its premises since October 5.
Earlier in December, eyewitnesses reported that Israeli forces stormed the hospital compound, resulting in the deaths of four doctors and dozens of injuries.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza has accused Israeli forces of deliberately targeting medical personnel and facilities. On Thursday, a nurse was severely injured after an explosive device was detonated near the hospital.
The ministry’s claims have been met with skepticism from Israeli authorities, who assert that Hamas uses hospitals as operational centers for military activities, including storing weapons and hiding hostages.
While Israel has released videos it claims show such activities, the evidence has been challenged, and Hamas has denied these allegations.
International organizations have expressed grave concern over the unfolding crisis. The World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly called for humanitarian access to Kamal Adwan Hospital but reported that Israeli authorities have denied these requests.
This week, the WHO stated that a proposal to deploy international emergency medical teams to the hospital was rejected, despite the urgent need for surgical interventions for injured patients.
Israeli organization Physicians for Human Rights has taken legal action, filing an urgent petition with Israel’s High Court to halt attacks on Kamal Adwan Hospital. Their statement highlights the catastrophic impact of the conflict on the hospital and its staff over the past year.
They argue that evacuating the hospital would leave thousands in northern Gaza without access to critical medical care. Many patients cannot be safely evacuated due to constant gunfire and restrictions on ambulance operations.
The situation at Kamal Adwan Hospital exemplifies the devastating impact of prolonged conflict on civilian infrastructure and healthcare. With medical facilities under siege, healthcare workers targeted, and resources critically depleted, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached alarming levels.
The international community faces mounting pressure to address these urgent issues and ensure the protection of civilians and medical personnel. As the conflict continues, the need for accountability, dialogue, and immediate humanitarian relief becomes increasingly urgent.
