GAZA (Palestine Foundation Information Center) The Government Media Office (GMO)in Gaza and Palestinian factions have condemned the Israeli army’s raid on Al-Shifa Medical Complex in western Gaza early Monday, using tanks, drones, weapons, and firing inside the complex.
The GMO said in a statement: “This crime confirms the Israeli intent to eliminate the healthcare sector and destroy hospitals.”
It pointed out that the Israeli forces stormed the Al-Shifa Medical Complex with tanks, heavily armed soldiers, and drones since the early hours of dawn, and began firing inside the complex, causing fear and panic among the wounded, patients, and displaced individuals.
The GMO emphasized that what is happening threatens the lives of thousands of people, patients, medical staff, and displaced individuals, inside the Al-Shifa Medical Complex, in a war crime added to the black record of the occupying army, which continues to commit various crimes and massacres, and still harbors the intention to eliminate the healthcare sector and destroy hospitals.
It added, “We strongly condemn the Israeli army’s raid on the Al-Shifa Medical Complex, considering it a blatant war crime, a violation of international law and international agreements, and a crime against humanity.”
“The Israeli occupation army, the US administration, and the international community are held fully responsible for the safety and lives of the medical teams, the wounded, the patients, and the displaced individuals from our Palestinian people,” the Office said.
The international and regional organizations, as well as all free countries in the world, were urged to immediately and urgently intervene to restrain the occupation, stop its genocidal war, cease its aggression, and target the healthcare sector and medical institutions. They were urged to exert pressure to stop these organized and planned crimes within the framework of the Israeli plan to destroy the healthcare sector.
Factions’ condemnation
The Palestinian factions also strongly condemned the continued targeting of hospitals by the occupation army with the aim of destroying the healthcare sector, the latest of which was the targeting of Al-Shifa Medical Complex at dawn today.
The factions said in a statement, “Targeting hospitals is a continuation of the genocidal war waged by Israel against the Palestinian people and a blatant violation of all international conventions and laws.”
They believed that the goal was clear, which is to deny any opportunity for the survival and treatment of the wounded and patients, as evidenced by the deprivation of thousands from traveling to receive treatment and pursuing them in hospitals.
They emphasized that the Israeli narratives and false claims are lies, as hospitals are civilian health institutions that have not engaged in any activities contrary to their defined functions and responsibilities according to international and humanitarian law.
Ministry of Health: Blatant violation
On its part, the Palestinian Ministry of Health held Israel fully responsible for the lives of the medical teams, patients, and displaced individuals inside the Al-Shifa Medical Complex.
The ministry said in a press statement, “What the Israeli forces are doing against the Al-Shifa Medical Complex is a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and the Fourth Geneva Convention.”
It added, “The Israeli occupation still uses its fabricated narratives to deceive the world and justify the raid on the Al-Shifa Medical Complex, warning that the Israeli military attack aims to continue destroying the healthcare system in northern Gaza.”
It called on the international community to reject the Israeli practices against the Al-Shifa Medical Complex and Gaza hospitals.
The ministry also called on international institutions to immediately head to the Al-Shifa Medical Complex to protect it and everyone inside and to prevent the Israeli targeting specifically aimed at it.
