Gazas hospitals under sustained systematic assault

#Israel #Palestine #Gaza
Omar Shakir, the Israel and Palestine Director at Human Rights Watch, told Al Jazeera that “the Israeli government has put forward no evidence that would justify stripping hospitals of their special protections under international humanitarian law”.

Even if Israel’s justifications for attacking hospitals are taken at “face value”, Shakir said “international humanitarian law only allows attacking hospitals if room is made for safe evacuation”.

He added: “The reality here is there is no safe place to go in Gaza.”

Shakir also said that there is a higher risk of attacks on hospitals being “disproportionate” considering that “even a relatively minor attack could have life-altering consequences for the treatment of patients”.

HRW has investigated attacks on or near five healthcare facilities in Gaza between October 7 and November 7.