Criticism of Israel’s attack on Gaza’s largest hospital, al-Shifa Hospital, is fueling global concern over its ongoing war on the enclave. World leaders, international aid organizations, and government bodies have strongly condemned Israel’s assault on the medical facility, which has left thousands of patients, staff, and displaced people trapped. The targeting of a hospital, which should be a safe haven under the rules of war, has drawn widespread condemnation.
The UN’s undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, Martin Griffiths, expressed his dismay, stating, “Hospitals are not battlegrounds. The protection of newborns, patients, medical staff, and all civilians must override all other concerns.” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization, echoed these concerns, emphasizing the need to ensure the safety of health personnel and patients.
The International Committee of the Red Cross also voiced extreme concern about the impact on sick and wounded individuals, medical staff, and civilians. They called for all necessary measures to be taken to prevent harm. The Palestinian Authority condemned Israel’s operation at al-Shifa Hospital, declaring it a “flagrant violation of international law” and demanding urgent international intervention to protect civilians.
Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, delivered a strong statement, describing the situation as a “barbaric war of aggression and an open war of genocide against our people.” World leaders joined the chorus of condemnation and called for action to safeguard civilians. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that continued Israeli massacres would lead to global condemnation of Israel as a “universally condemned terrorist state.”
Jordan accused the UN Security Council of enabling the “barbarism” of Israel’s raid on the hospital through its silence. Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi emphasized the need for the council to act and condemned the silence on the brutality as providing cover for war crimes.
The condemnation adds to the growing international criticism of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza and its refusal to agree to a humanitarian ceasefire. The death toll in the enclave has surpassed 11,000, with Hamas’s attacks accounting for approximately 1,200 casualties. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reiterated the urgent need for an end to the violence, warning that the world is watching and witnessing the killing of innocent women, children, and babies.
Belize joined other Latin American countries in suspending diplomatic ties with Israel and recalling its ambassador due to what it described as “indiscriminate bombing.” Inside al-Shifa Hospital, the situation was already dire even before the raid. Patients were receiving medical procedures without anesthesia, families had limited access to food and water, and the smell of decomposing bodies permeated the air.
Doctors and staff were forced to hide as tanks entered the hospital complex, and all kinds of weapons were used in the vicinity. The hospital director, Muhammad Abu Salmiya, reported being cut off from communication with doctors throughout the hospital and expressed concern for premature babies under their care. The hospital faced a complete lack of water, electricity, and oxygen, leading to further deterioration of patients’ wounds and a pervasive smell of death.
The ongoing assault on al-Shifa Hospital has sparked global outrage, with world leaders, aid organizations, and governments demanding immediate action to protect civilians and hold Israel accountable for its actions. The international community is closely watching the situation as the death toll continues to rise and the humanitarian crisis deepens.
