WHO, Turkey, condemn Israeli strike on cancer hospital in Gaza

Ahram Online , Wednesday 1 Nov 2023

The World Health Organization on Tuesday decried Israeli airstrikes the prior day near the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, reportedly the only cancer center in the Gaza Strip.

Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital
The Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital in Gaza was hit by indiscriminate Israeli bombardment on October 30, 2023. Photo courtesy X (formerly Twitter)

 

Footage on Monday shows the third floor of the hospital significantly damaged and smoke filling the sky outside of the building.

 

 

The bombings come as Israel continues to target various hospitals in the Palestinian territory, carrying out severe airstrikes and artillery shelling near the Al-Quds, Indonesian, and European hospitals.

Israel has carried out relentless bombardments of the Gaza Strip killing at least 8500 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian health ministry, as Israel's brutal war on Gaza enters day 25.

Since the offensive carried out by Hamas on 7 October, Israel has imposed a siege on Gaza that has significantly reduced the cancer hospital's capacity to provide services as the entire strip has been cut off from electricity, medicine, fuel, and water.

The cancer hospital is currently sheltering Gaza Palestinians, internally displaced by the relentless bombardment of the Palestinian territory. 

"We cannot emphasize enough the importance of protecting health care in Gaza," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

"Cancer patients are already fragile, and it's imperative to do everything possible to ensure they're receiving the care they need," he noted. "It’s truly a matter of life or death."

Turkey's foreign ministry also issued a firm statement on Tuesday, condemning the "inhumane attacks".

“As all necessary information, including the coordinates of the institution in question — which is the only cancer hospital in Gaza — was shared with the Israeli authorities in advance, there is no explanation for such an attack,” the statement said.

“The siege and these inhumane attacks, which aim to deprive the Palestinian people in Gaza of their most basic rights, clearly violate international law,” Ankara added. “Israel must stop targeting Gaza residents en masse, without discrimination.”

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