Relentless shelling, power outages and power shortages have put almost all hospitals in the besieged northern Gaza Strip out of service, with evidence of repeated attacks on and near medical facilities despite the presence of doctors, patients and civilians inside, according to an analysis of the CNN .
At least 20 of the 22 hospitals identified by CNN in northern Gaza were damaged or destroyed in the first two months of Israel's war against Hamas, from October 7 to December 7, according to an analysis of 45 satellite images and around 400 videos of the sites, as well as interviews with doctors, eyewitnesses and humanitarian organizations.
Fourteen were directly hit, based on evidence collected and verified by the CNN and analyzed by experts.
Israel launched its bombing and ground invasion of the Gaza Strip following the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, in which at least 1,200 people were killed and more than 240 taken hostage. In the first two months of the war, at least 17,100 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks in the strip, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. At the time of publishing this article, that number was over 23,400.
Israel says Hamas operates in and under hospitals and uses them for military operations, including as command centers, weapons depots and to hide hostages. The Israelis have released images they say are evidence of these Hamas operations. The videos do not offer definitive proof and Hamas has denied the allegations.
A CNN sent a list of hospitals identified as damaged or destroyed to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). In response, the IDF said it “has not conducted any targeted attacks against hospitals in the Gaza Strip,” adding that “Hamas systematically misuses hospitals and medical facilities.”
Tracking how aerial bombardment impacted hospitals in northern Gaza gives a sense of the scale and scope of the devastation the war has wreaked on the enclave's healthcare system – and the knock-on impact on civilians who rely on the facilities for shelter and care. , and need your services more now than ever.
A CNN identified 22 hospitals in northern Gaza by studying satellite images and footage of each location. Of these, 20 were damaged or destroyed in relentless bombing during the first two months of the war.
Satellite images showed craters near 11 hospitals that were consistent with those left by 2,000-pound bombs. The munitions were dropped close enough for hospitals to be within the lethal fragmentation radius, which is up to 365 meters. Fourteen hospitals were directly hit. Several, including Al-Shifa and Al-Quds, appear to have been attacked by Israel.
Images obtained by CNN showed that two hospitals were completely destroyed. The attacks on and around the strip's three pediatric hospitals forced the interruption of services. The only hospitals offering dedicated oncology and psychiatric treatment also stopped operating after being damaged.
At the end of the period analyzed, only four hospitals were partially functioning, according to OCHA, the UN humanitarian agency. None had surgical capabilities.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on December 21 that no hospitals were functioning in northern Gaza and that injured patients who could not be transferred were “waiting to die.” According to the WHO, as of January 10, six hospitals in the north were partially functioning.
To get an idea of how Gaza's hospitals have become battlefields, the CNN analyzed in depth the deterioration of the strip's largest and second largest medical facilities, Al-Shifa and Al-Quds, until they ceased operations in November. Al-Shifa has since resumed some services.
Israeli authorities claim that both hospitals were used by Hamas for military purposes. The IDF published images of a tunnel shaft and military equipment it said its forces found inside the Al-Shifa complex and a video of what appeared to be a gunman outside the Al-Quds hospital. Hamas and hospital authorities denied that the militant group operated inside the facility.
Taken together, the two hospitals reflect the similarities observed by CNN when analyzing the evidence from the first two months of the war: that what were supposed to be protected facilities are being bombed, surrounded and fired upon by tanks, and that surrounding infrastructure, ambulances and roads are being hit, affecting efforts to treat patients, evacuate facilities and provide assistance.
Several of the hospitals assessed as part of this analysis, including Al-Shifa and Al-Quds, appear to have been attacked by Israel, according to images of munitions fragments, large impact craters, tanks, tank shell holes and vehicle tracks. heavily armored. Experts who analyzed the images said the consequences were consistent with damage caused by high-quality military weaponry used by the IDF.
A previous investigation of the CNN determined that a failed Palestinian rocket fired from Gaza was likely the cause of a deadly explosion at Al-Ahli al-Arabi hospital, also known as Baptist hospital, on October 17.
In other cases, it was not possible to determine responsibility for the attacks.
The IDF has repeatedly said it does not target hospitals, but has admitted to returning fire at some facilities, including Al-Quds.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
