World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said early Monday that Gaza’s beleaguered hospitals “have once again become battlegrounds and the health system is under severe threat.”
Ghebreyesus said the Kamal Adwan Hospital in the north Gaza town of Beit Lahia “is out of service,” following an Israeli raid which itself came after several weeks of encirclement and bombardment.
Israeli forces raided the compound on Friday, forcibly evacuating all remaining patients and staff.
The Israel Defense Forces said it detained 240 alleged militants, among them hospital director Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya.
The IDF said the hospital was a “command center” for Hamas “military operations” in the surrounding area.
Ghebreyesus said Safiya’s “whereabouts are unknown. We call for his immediate release.”
Kamal Adwan patients were transferred to the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City and the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia, both of which have also reported repeated Israeli attacks.
The latter “is itself out of function,” Ghebreyesus said.
“Seven patients along with 15 caregivers and health workers remain at the severely damaged Indonesian Hospital, which has no ability to provide care,” he added.
IDF detained four patients during their transfer from Kamal Adwan Hospital, according to statements from the WHO chief.
Additionally, two facilities in Gaza City, Al-Ahli Hospital and Al-Wafa Rehabilitation Hospital, suffered damage due to attacks.
“We repeat stop attacks on hospitals,” he wrote. “People in Gaza need access to health care. Humanitarians need access to provide health aid. Ceasefire!”
Family Seeks Help for Missing Gaza Hospital Director
Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya’s family urgently pleads for international support, seeking to uncover his fate amidst rising tensions.
They claim Israeli forces detained him during a recent raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital, raising serious concerns about his safety.
Friends and supporters gather to amplify their call for action, emphasizing the need for humanitarian assistance now.
Media outlets report on the family’s plight, encouraging global awareness about the situation facing medical professionals in conflict zones.
As hope wanes, the family remains determined to find Dr. Abu Safiya, urging governments to advocate for his release.
The family took to Abu Safiya’s official Instagram page to share their desperate plea.
“We do not know the fate of our father,” they wrote, capturing their anguish and uncertainty.
With urgency, they called on compassionate individuals and international organizations to respond to their crisis.
“Help us push for his swift release from captivity,” the family urged, emphasizing the need for media pressure to raise awareness.
The message said Abu Safiya is still recovering from injuries he suffered a month ago while working at the hospital.
The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement released on Saturday that Abu Safiya is suspected of being a Hamas terrorist and is being held in Gaza.
Abu Safiya had not been arrested in previous IDF raids of the hospital.
IDF Provides Update on Kamal Adwan Hospital
The IDF released a statement outlining their operations in and around Kamal Adwan Hospital in the last few days.
The Israel Defense Forces said the hospital was a “command center” for Hamas “military operations in Jabaliya,” although the statement and attached media do not provide corroborating evidence of this.
The IDF engaged in fierce fighting around the hospital, claiming to have detained 240 terrorists during the operation.
Among those detained was Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya, the hospital’s director, suspected as a Hamas terrorist operative.
Dr. Abu Safiya remained one of the few male staff members not captured during the IDF’s October raid.
He played a crucial role in coordinating essential resupply efforts and patient evacuations with Israel in recent months.
Kamal Adwan is the last functioning hospital in northern Gaza and is operating at a limited capacity due to a lack of medical supplies and the repeated attacks on the hospital.