The deliberate targeting of healthcare infrastructure in Gaza has turned what should be sanctuaries of healing into death traps. A new report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) details how Israel’s relentless strikes on hospitals have brought Gaza’s healthcare system to the brink of collapse. This systematic destruction, carried out under the pretext of eliminating “military activity,” has led to widespread deaths among patients, healthcare workers, and civilians, amplifying the already dire humanitarian crisis.
From October 2023 to June 2024, the report recorded at least 136 Israeli strikes on 27 of Gaza’s 38 hospitals and 12 other medical facilities. These strikes, often justified with vague accusations of Palestinian armed groups using medical facilities for military purposes, have obliterated vital healthcare infrastructure. In one particularly egregious incident, an airstrike on Kamal Adwan Hospital left North Gaza without functioning medical care, forcing the injured and sick to rely on an increasingly overwhelmed network of partially operational facilities.
Humanitarian Law vs. Political Spin
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, denounced the attacks as a blatant violation of international humanitarian law. “The protection of hospitals during warfare is paramount and must be respected by all sides, at all times,” he said. Türk emphasized that under international law, medical facilities are inviolable unless they are actively used for acts harmful to the enemy. Even then, any military action must adhere to principles of proportionality and distinction—conditions Israel has repeatedly failed to meet.
Read More: Gaza’s Population Drops 6% Amid Israel’s Genocidal Campaign
The OHCHR report also dismissed Israeli claims of Hamas misusing hospitals as “vague and broad,” lacking credible evidence. In several instances, these allegations were contradicted by publicly available information. Such narratives, critics argue, serve as political cover for actions that would otherwise constitute war crimes. The report explicitly states that intentionally targeting hospitals, civilian populations, or launching disproportionate attacks qualifies as war crimes. Moreover, the deliberate destruction of healthcare facilities may amount to collective punishment—another grave violation of international law.
Death in Place of Healing
The consequences of these attacks have been devastating. Patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and kidney failure have been cut off from life-saving treatments. Pregnant women, unable to access adequate prenatal or postnatal care, face heightened risks of maternal and infant mortality. Newborns reliant on incubators have perished as electricity and medical supplies dwindle.
Even medical personnel, tasked with saving lives amid chaos, have become casualties. Hundreds of doctors, nurses, and medics have been killed in airstrikes, leaving Gaza’s health system in tatters. Of Gaza’s 36 hospitals, only 15 remain partially operational, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). These facilities are overwhelmed by trauma cases and lack the resources to treat conditions that would otherwise be manageable. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus remarked that hospitals in Gaza “have once again become battlegrounds,” reflecting the deadly political calculus at play.
Israel’s Defense: A Familiar Refrain
In response to the report, Israel’s Permanent Mission in Geneva dismissed the findings as yet another example of the UN’s alleged bias against Israel. It accused the OHCHR of relying on “unreliable sources” and ignoring evidence of Hamas’s exploitation of medical facilities. According to the Israeli government, Hamas uses hospitals as command centers, embeds tunnels within their premises, and stores weapons in proximity to civilians.
However, the OHCHR report highlights the lack of transparency in these claims. It notes that Israel has failed to provide sufficient evidence to substantiate its accusations, raising questions about the legitimacy of its military operations. Human rights organizations argue that Israel’s repeated justification of its attacks on vague security grounds is part of a broader strategy to dismantle Gaza’s societal fabric, using healthcare as a pawn in its geopolitical game.
A Call for Accountability
The UN report has reignited calls for independent investigations into the actions of all parties involved. Human rights advocates stress the need for transparent, thorough inquiries into potential war crimes and violations of international law. Yet, history suggests that accountability in such cases is rare, particularly when powerful states shield their allies from global scrutiny.
The destruction of Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure is not merely a byproduct of war—it is a calculated act with devastating political and human consequences. The OHCHR’s findings paint a grim picture of a region where even the most basic human rights, like access to medical care, are sacrificed at the altar of political expediency.
As Gaza’s hospitals crumble, the international community faces a critical choice: demand accountability and uphold international law, or tacitly endorse a cycle of destruction that has rendered healthcare a casualty of conflict.