DaysofPal—Israeli forces have detained more than 450 medical workers in northern Gaza, including 33 staff members from Kamal Adwan Hospital who were recently taken into custody, according to Maher Shamia, Assistant Undersecretary of the Palestinian Ministry of Health in northern Gaza.
In a statement, Shamia said that Israeli forces are deliberately targeting medical personnel, often arresting them at military checkpoints.
“We have reached out to the International Red Cross for information about the detained staff from Kamal Adwan Hospital, but the Red Cross confirmed that the occupation is withholding all details about them,” Shamia said.
The detentions come in the wake of a violent raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital last Friday. Israeli troops besieged the facility for hours before storming in, setting parts of the hospital ablaze, and forcibly removing patients, injured civilians, and medical staff.
Witnesses reported that hundreds were detained during the raid, while others were subjected to degrading treatment, including being forced to strip in freezing temperatures during an evacuation conducted under heavy gunfire and tank shelling.
Shamia also highlighted the dire consequences of these actions, noting that Gaza and northern areas of the Strip now face severe shortages of specialized doctors in fields such as surgery and pediatrics. Remaining medical staff are working up to 60 hours per week to keep hospitals operational.
Adding to the humanitarian crisis, medical facilities across Gaza have been systematically targeted. The destruction of hospitals, combined with the harsh winter conditions, is exacerbating an already catastrophic situation for displaced families.
On Sunday morning, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported the death of another infant due to cold exposure and a lack of heating in displacement camps.
This latest death brings the toll of infant fatalities in recent days to five, with four other babies succumbing to freezing temperatures in makeshift shelters that lack basic necessities like blankets and warm clothing.
Thousands of displaced families live in deteriorating conditions in tents made of flimsy fabric and plastic sheeting, with a severe shortage of firewood or other heating materials.
The United Nations has warned that displaced populations in Gaza are unlikely to survive the winter without urgent aid. At least 945,000 people are in need of winter supplies, but soaring costs and blockades have made access nearly impossible.
As the genocide in Gaza reaches its 450th consecutive day, Israel’s ongoing offensive continues to devastate civilian life, with mounting accusations of war crimes and indiscriminate violence across the region.
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