Jakarta –
Israeli soldiers stormed Al-Ahli Hospital (RS), one of the last remaining hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip. As a result of the Israeli army attack, the hospital has now stopped operating on Tuesday (19/12).
“The Israeli attack has made the hospital unable to function anymore. We cannot accept patients or injuries,” said the Director of Al-Ahli Hospital, Fadel Naim, as reported by AFP, Wednesday (20/12/2023).
Naim said Israeli forces had attacked Al-Ahli Hospital and arrested doctors, medical staff and patients, as well as destroying part of the building’s courtyard.
At least four people injured by Israeli gunfire on Monday (18/12) died on Tuesday (19/12) after being injured in the attack on Al-Ahli Hospital.
“Our information is that there are dozens of injured victims on the surrounding roads,” said Naim.
A medic who was later released told about what the prisoners experienced at the hands of the Israeli army.
“They blindfolded us and tied us up… We were tied up for more than nine hours in the cold,” medic Mohammad Araj told AFP after being freed.
“They torture whoever they want. We used to hear screams when our eyes were closed. We didn’t know what might happen to us, whether we would be killed or left alive,” he added.
When contacted, the Israeli military did not comment on these accusations.
The hospital, which is protected by international humanitarian law, has been repeatedly hit by Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas on October 7.
The military accuses Hamas of having tunnels under hospitals and using medical facilities as command centers to plan and carry out attacks against the army and Israel. The Islamic group has denied Israel’s accusations.
Al-Ahli also known as the Baptist or Arab Ahli hospital, was badly damaged by an explosion in its car park on October 17, resulting in at least dozens of deaths.
The militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad accused Israel, which denied responsibility and blamed a misfired Islamic Jihad rocket for the blast.
(fas/fas)
2023-12-19 22:30:03
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