“Death Trap” in Gaza: International Report Condemns Israel’s Actions

2nd January 2025

2 minutes read

"Death Trap" in Gaza: International Report Condemns Israel's Actions

In a report released on Tuesday, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights stated that Israeli attacks on hospitals in Gaza have destroyed the health system in the Palestinian territory and raised serious concerns about Israel’s compliance with international law.

The report, documenting various attacks from October 12, 2023, to June 30, 2024, concluded that these attacks had severe consequences on Palestinians’ ability to access medical care.

The 23-page report noted that “the destruction of the healthcare system in Gaza, the death toll among patients, staff, and other civilians in these attacks, is a direct result of the disregard for international humanitarian law and human rights laws.”

Daniel Meron, Israel’s permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, dismissed the report’s claims as “fabricated.”

On the X platform, he stated that Israel operates in accordance with international law and would never target innocent civilians, accusing Hamas of using Gaza’s hospitals for “terrorist activities.”

The Israeli army accuses Hamas of using hospitals as command centers for its military operations, claiming that individuals arrested in these facilities are suspected armed operatives.

The UN report acknowledged such allegations but stated that sufficient information to substantiate them has not been made public.

Israel attacked hospitals in Gaza in recent days, drawing criticism from the Director-General of the World Health Organization and others.

The report stated that deliberately targeting hospitals and places housing the sick and wounded, provided they are not military targets, constitutes war crimes.

It also warned that the systematic pattern of human rights violations against civilians could amount to crimes against humanity.

Israel has consistently rejected such accusations.

The UN reported that the Israeli government responded to the report by stating that its military had taken numerous steps to minimize civilian harm, including providing aid, establishing evacuation routes, and creating field hospitals.

In a statement, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said, “As if the relentless bombardment and dire humanitarian situation in Gaza weren’t enough, the only refuge where Palestinians should have felt safe has become a death trap.”

Palestinian health officials state that the Israeli operation against Hamas in Gaza has so far claimed the lives of over 45,500 Palestinians.

The Israeli army launched this operation following an attack led by Hamas in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which, according to Israeli authorities, killed 1,200 people and led to the capture of 251 hostages taken to Gaza.