UN body issues damning report on Israeli attacks on Gaza hospitals

Persistent targeting of health facilities a 'blatant disregard' of human rights law

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Israeli attacks on hospitals in Gaza have devastated the Palestinian enclave's health system and raised serious concerns about Israel's compliance with international law, the UN Human Rights Office said in a report on Dec 31.

The 23-page report, documenting various attacks between Oct 12, 2023, and June 30, 2024, concluded that since the Hamas attacks against Israel on Oct 7, 2023, the conduct of hostilities in Gaza had had severe consequences on Palestinians' access to medical attention.

It said that during this time, there were at least 136 strikes on 27 hospitals and 12 other medical facilities.

"The destruction of the health-care system in Gaza, and the extent of killing of patients, staff and other civilians in these attacks, is a direct consequence of the disregard of international humanitarian and human rights law," it said.

It found Israel's repeated claims that Gaza hospitals were being improperly used for military purposes by Palestinian groups "vague".