Without Warning, Israeli Military Air Strike Targets Hospital in Gaza

Gaza, Palestine – Al-Ahli Al-Arabi Hospital in Gaza, Palestine, was hit by a rocket attack from the Israeli military on Tuesday (10/17) evening without prior warning. The Gaza Ministry of Health reported that at least 500 civilians at the hospital died as a result of the airstrike.

When the Israeli military launched an airstrike, Al-Ahli Al-Arabi Hospital was crowded, with a significant portion of the occupants being refugees. According to antaranews.com, Mai Alkalila, the Palestinian Minister of Health, accused Israel of deliberately attacking the hospital. She emphatically stated that the airstrike had resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Palestinian civilians during the 11 days of intensive bombing by Israel.

As reported by CNBC Indonesia, the Israeli military initially stated that their preliminary investigation indicated that the explosion was due to the misfire of Palestinian faction rockets. However, this statement was later revised to claim that the rocket came from an attack by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. In response, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad denied involvement and argued that the scale of the explosion exceeded their capabilities, and they had not been engaged in any activities near the city of Gaza at the time.

This Event in the Context of International Humanitarian Law

Within the scope of International Humanitarian Law, protections exist for those who do not participate in armed conflict. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) states that the Geneva Conventions govern the protection and treatment of four categories, one of which is the civilian population.

“Civilian populations meeting this criterion are referred to as ‘protected persons.’ This category includes stateless persons, internally displaced persons, refugees, and journalists,” according to the ICRC in its reading on International Humanitarian Law.

The ICRC emphasizes that protected persons under International Humanitarian Law must be gathered and cared for. Therefore, the implementation of ensuring the medical activities performed by medical personnel, units, and transportation is highly respected and protected.

The World Condemns Israel’s Military Actions Against the Hospital in Gaza

Israel’s aerial attack on Al-Ahli Al-Arabi Hospital in Gaza, Palestine, has prompted simultaneous condemnation from various countries. Responses have come from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Canada, France, Turkey, Qatar, Iran, and Jordan, among others.

“International humanitarian law binds all parties and must provide protection to the civilian population. Humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip must be opened without delay,” stated the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a press release.

Furthermore, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that a direct attack on a hospital in Gaza constitutes an attack by Israel that lacks humanitarian values. “I call on all of humanity to take action to stop the brutality that has never been seen before in Gaza,” Erdogan wrote through his official social media account.

For the latest updates on the situation in Palestine, please click on the link below.

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Data Source:

https://www.antaranews.com/berita/3778890/israel-serang-rs-di-gaza-sekitar-500-orang-tewas
https://www.cnbcindonesia.com/news/20231018051145-4-481431/biadab-rumah-sakit-gaza-dihantam-rudal-500-orang-tewas
https://blogs.icrc.org/indonesia/wp-content/uploads/sites/97/2023/10/Apa-itu-HHI.pdf
https://internasional.republika.co.id/berita/s2pepm335/banyak-negara-kompak-kecam-serangan-udara-israel-ke-rs-di-gaza

Image Source:

Many of the wounded in the attack appear to be women and children. (Al Jazeera: Abdelhakim Abu Riash)
Aftermath of deadly Israeli air raid on al-Ahli Arab Hospital (Al Jazeera: Abdelhakim Abu Riash)
Palestinians protest against an Israeli strike on a Gaza hospital, in the West Bank city of Nablus (EPA: Alaa Badarneh)