Gaza’s Kamal Adwan hospital ‘now empty’: WHO

The World Health Organization said Saturday that the Kamal Adwan hospital was “now empty” following an Israeli military raid which put north Gaza’s last major health facility out of service.

The WHO said it was “appalled” by Friday’s raid, saying “hospitals have once again become battlegrounds”, and describing the lifeline of healthcare in north Gaza as reaching “breaking point.”

“The systematic dismantling of the health system and a siege for over 80 days on north Gaza puts the lives of the 75,000 Palestinians remaining in the area at risk,” the UN health agency said in a statement.

Israel’s military claimed in a statement that the hospital had become “a key stronghold for terrorist organizations and continues to be used as a hideout for terrorist operatives” since Israeli forces began broader operations in northern Gaza in October.

“Kamal Adwan is now empty,” the WHO said.

The remaining 15 critical patients, 50 caregivers and 20 health workers were transferred Friday to Indonesian Hospital, which it described as “destroyed and non-functional.”

“The movement and treatment of these critical patients under such conditions pose grave risks to their survival.

“WHO is deeply concerned for their wellbeing, as well as for the Kamal Adwan Hospital director who has been reportedly detained during the raid. WHO lost contact with him since the raid began.”

The WHO said initial reports indicated that some areas of the hospital were burnt and severely damaged during the raid, including the laboratory, surgical unit, engineering and maintenance department, operations theatre and the medical store.

It said that earlier Friday, 12 patients had reportedly been forced to evacuate to the Indonesian Hospital.

“Additionally, some people were reportedly stripped and forced to walk toward southern Gaza.

“An urgent WHO mission to Indonesian Hospital is being planned for tomorrow to safely move patients to southern Gaza for continued care.”