UN agencies, ICRC strongly condemn attack on hospital in Gaza

Geneva (Uttam Hindu News): UN human rights chief Volker Turk has issued a statement saying that the major attack on Al Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza City, which killed hundreds of people, is “completely unacceptable”. He said in a statement issued on Tuesday evening, “I have no words. Tonight, hundreds of people were killed in a horrific, massive attack on the Al Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza City. “They included patients, health care workers and family members of patients who were staying in and around the hospital.” According to Palestinian sources, at least 500 Palestinians were killed. According to the report of Xinhua news agency, local witnesses said that a rocket fell on the hospital, after which a huge explosion occurred in the complex.

“We don’t yet know the extent of the massacre, but what is clear is that the violence and killings must stop immediately,” Turki said. He said that all influential countries should make every possible effort to end it. “Civilians must be protected and humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach those most urgently in need,” he stressed. At least six people were killed when an attack hit a UN school in a refugee camp in the central area of ​​Gaza on Tuesday afternoon, according to media reports. The school was serving as a shelter for approximately 4,000 asylum seekers.

WHO also issued a statement on the attack on Al Ahli Arab Hospital on Tuesday night, strongly condemning the attack and reporting massive casualties. WHO stressed that the hospital is providing treatment and housing patients, health workers and internally displaced people. WHO said the hospital was one of 20 hospitals in the north of the Gaza Strip that the Israeli military has ordered to evacuate. The order is impossible to comply with given the current insecurity, critical condition of many patients, and lack of ambulances, staff, health, system bed capacity and alternative shelter for displaced people.

WHO called for immediate proactive protection of civilians and health workers. The global body stressed that hospital evacuation orders must be lifted and international humanitarian law must be followed, which means health care facilities must be actively protected and never targeted. Needed

In a comment released Tuesday night, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it was shocked and horrified by reports that the Al Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza was destroyed and hundreds of people killed. The committee said, “Hospitals should be sanctuaries for the protection of human life, not scenes of death and destruction. No patient should die in the hospital. No doctor should lose his life trying to save others. “Hospitals must be protected under international humanitarian law.”