WHO condemns raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital as North Gaza’s health system nears collapse

The World Health Organization (WHO) has strongly condemned yesterday’s raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital, the last operational health facility in North Gaza. The attack has left the hospital in ruins, marking a devastating blow to the region’s already fragile healthcare system and putting the lives of 75,000 remaining Palestinians in North Gaza at grave risk.

Devastation at Kamal Adwan Hospital

Initial reports indicate that critical areas of Kamal Adwan Hospital, including the laboratory, surgical unit, operations theatre, and medical store, were burnt and severely damaged during the raid. Patients, staff, and caregivers were forced to evacuate under life-threatening conditions. Some were reportedly stripped and made to walk toward southern Gaza, while others were transferred to the Indonesian Hospital—a facility already deemed non-functional and ill-equipped to handle critical patients.

As of now, Kamal Adwan Hospital stands empty. The remaining 15 critical patients, along with 50 caregivers and 20 health workers, were relocated to Indonesian Hospital, which lacks adequate medical equipment and supplies. WHO has expressed deep concern for the wellbeing of these patients, as well as the hospital director, who was reportedly detained during the raid and remains unreachable.

A Systematic Dismantling of Health Services

The raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital is part of an alarming pattern of escalating attacks on healthcare facilities in North Gaza. Since October 2024, WHO has verified at least 50 attacks on or near the hospital. Despite repeated international calls to protect health workers and facilities, these pleas have largely gone unheeded.

The Kamal Adwan raid follows months of severe restrictions on humanitarian access. Of the 21 WHO missions planned to deliver essential medical supplies and services to the hospital since October, only 10 were partially facilitated. These missions provided 45,000 liters of fuel, medical supplies, and food, and transferred over 100 patients to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. However, repeated denials of international emergency medical teams have exacerbated the healthcare crisis.

A Humanitarian Health Crisis in North Gaza

The loss of Kamal Adwan Hospital, coupled with the near-collapse of the Indonesian and Al-Awda Hospitals, has left North Gaza without any functional healthcare facilities. Over 80 days of siege and continuous bombardment have pushed the region’s healthcare system to the brink, with no immediate relief in sight.

“Health facilities, workers, and patients are always off limits,” reiterated WHO. “They must be actively protected and never be attacked, nor used for military purposes. The principles of precaution, distinction, and proportionality under International Humanitarian Law are absolute and must be upheld.”

Urgent Action Needed

WHO has announced plans for an emergency mission to the Indonesian Hospital to deliver essential medical supplies, food, and water, and to facilitate the safe transfer of critical patients to Gaza City. However, the organization stresses the urgent need for international intervention to ensure hospitals in North Gaza can resume operations and provide life-saving care.

As hospitals continue to be targeted, the destruction of healthcare systems in Gaza serves as a stark reminder of the need to uphold and enforce international humanitarian law. Without immediate action, the health and survival of tens of thousands of Palestinians remain at imminent risk.