One doctor left at Kamal Adwan hospital after Israel detains entire staff
Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, Husam Abu Safiyeh (middle), holds up his hands during the Israeli invasion of the hospital, 26 October 2024
Qassam Muaddi reports in Mondoweiss on 28 October 2024 :
The last functioning hospital in northern Gaza has officially stopped functioning after Israeli forces raided it over the weekend, arresting all but two of its medical staff and damaging parts of the hospital premises.
The Kamal Adwan Hospital remained functioning after Israeli troops besieged the Indonesian and al-Awda hospitals earlier this month, becoming the only medical center servicing around 200,000 Palestinians in the area north of Gaza City. Around 150 people were taking shelter in the hospital after the Israeli military forced hundreds to leave displacement centers, including Kamal Adwan Hospital, early last week.
On Saturday, Israeli forces began to raid the hospital, ordering patients and medical staff to leave its wings and descend to the courtyard. Israeli soldiers then separated the men from the women and arrested dozens of Palestinians, including all of the hospital’s staff except one nurse and the hospital’s Director, Dr. Husam Abu Safiyeh.
The Israeli army claimed to have arrested 100 “terrorists,” which included dozens of hospital staff members. They were taken to an unknown location and their fate remains unknown.
Earlier on Friday, Israeli forces had opened fire on the hospital’s buildings, shattering windows and shelling the upper floors, which injured and killed several Palestinians inside.