UNITED NATIONS: A United Nations official expressed grave concern regarding the ongoing Israeli military actions in Gaza, highlighting civilian casualties and the destruction of medical facilities.
Stephanie Tremblay, a UN spokeswoman, condemned the continuing attacks across Gaza, which have resulted in significant Palestinian casualties. “We are alarmed by ongoing attacks across the Strip that have left scores of Palestinians dead,” Tremblay said in a statement to the press.
In a report from Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, a medical source confirmed to Anadolu that Israeli forces had set fire to several sections of the hospital. Tremblay added that an Israeli airstrike near the hospital on Thursday night reportedly killed dozens, including healthcare workers.
“In Kamal Adwan hospital today, staff, patients, and their companions were forced out of the facility. Arrests and significant damage to the hospital have been reported,” she said.
The UN official further emphasized that the UN teams are facing “systematic denials” of access to the besieged northern Gaza region, with the latest attempt to reach these areas blocked by Israeli authorities.
“Just today, another attempt by the UN to reach besieged parts of North Gaza governorate was denied by the Israeli authorities,” Tremblay stated.
Turning to the West Bank, Tremblay raised concerns over the ongoing Israeli military operations, particularly in the Tulkarm refugee camp.
As of December 26, at least 20 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli forces in a span of 10 days, including 12 deaths resulting from airstrikes. Tremblay noted, “Our humanitarian colleagues say Israel’s military operation in Tulkarm’s refugee camp caused extensive damage to infrastructure.”
She also pointed out the excessive use of force, noting, “Lethal, war-like tactics are being applied repeatedly during these operations in the West Bank, raising concerns over the use of force that exceeds law enforcement standards.”
According to the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 4,700 Palestinians have been displaced across the West Bank this year, including nearly 2,000 children.
In response to the Israeli raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital, the Palestinian resistance group Hamas denied Israeli claims that it was targeting Hamas fighters inside the facility.
Hamas labeled the Israeli raid a “heinous crime,” accusing Israel of using the false claim of Hamas presence to justify the destruction of the hospital.
The group called for an independent investigation by the UN into Israeli actions in northern Gaza, which Hamas described as part of a broader “plan of genocide and forced displacement.”
Since October 5, Israel has conducted a large-scale ground offensive in northern Gaza, claiming the operation targets Hamas, but Palestinians argue that the true aim is the occupation of the region and the forced displacement of its population.
Humanitarian aid has been severely restricted, exacerbating the dire situation for those remaining in the enclave.
As of December, the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 45,400, with much of the area reduced to rubble following the escalation of violence after a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The International Criminal Court recently issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes in Gaza.
Israel is also facing a case at the International Court of Justice for alleged genocide.
