The Al Jazeera news network reported that one of its journalists, Ismail al-Ghoul, was detained for 12 hours and severely beaten. The allegations have not been responded to by Israel’s military, sparking outrage from the Committee to Protect Journalists.
The Gazan Health Ministry condemned the raid on the hospital where al-Ghoul was detained, calling it a “crime against health institutions.” The hospital was sheltering 30,000 patients, medical workers, and displaced civilians, leading to concerns from humanitarian organizations.
The World Health Organization’s director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned that the situation was endangering health workers, patients, and civilians, stating that “hospitals should never be battlegrounds.”
Doctors Without Borders expressed extreme concern for the safety of patients and medical staff in the hospital compound, urging all warring parties to respect the safety of those within the hospital.
Israel has claimed that the hospital complex was being used as a secret Hamas military command center, citing previous instances of Hamas using civilian facilities to shield its activities.
The Biden administration has criticized Israel’s conduct in the conflict, with national security adviser Jake Sullivan stating that more innocent civilians have died in this military operation than in all previous wars in Gaza combined.
The situation in Gaza has led to a humanitarian crisis, with lawlessness increasing in areas cleared by Israel’s military. International aid organizations have suspended operations in the region despite the dire need for assistance.
As tensions continue to rise in Gaza, the safety and well-being of civilians, medical personnel, and journalists remain a top concern for the international community.
