Israel

IntraHealth International joins the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition in calling on the government of Israel, Hamas, and armed groups to respect humanitarian law and cease targeting health facilities and health workers in their attacks. We call on all groups to ensure that civilians maintain access to much-needed health care.

There is war in Gaza again. At this time, it seems like heavy smoke is covering the area, the media, consciousness, and the entire future. But one thing can be already stated with certainty: the casualties of this war have already paid the price. Its dead have already died; its wounded will go on to contend with the pain and trauma for the rest of their lives. As health and medical professionals, Jews and Arabs, our position is no more moral than that of anyone else, but by dint of our positions and our ongoing work, our point of view is different.

An urgent letter sent Wednesday night by Physicians for Human Rights calls on the Israel Defense Forces to desist from bombing near the Al Wafa rehabilitation hospital in Gaza City. The letter was sent to Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon after warning missiles hit the hospital last Friday, causing damage to the building.

The World Health Organization and its health partners are gravely concerned about the increasing attacks on health facilities, ambulances, personnel and patients in Gaza. Since the escalation of violence in Gaza, reports indicate that medical facilities have been damaged resulting in death and injuries to patients and health professionals.

A dozen shells hit the Al Aqsa hospital in the town of Deir el-Balah on Monday, Palestinian health official Ashraf al-Kidra said. He said four people were killed and 60 wounded when the shells landed in the administration building, the intensive care unit and the surgery department.