UN slams Israel for 'vague' claims over Gaza hospital strikes

A scathing report from the UN Human Rights Office has condemned Israel for providing “insufficient information” to justify its attacks on Gaza’s hospitals, which are protected under international law.

Israel’s assertions that Palestinian groups were using medical facilities for military purposes were dismissed as “vague and broad” and, in some instances, “contradicted by publicly available information”.

The report exposes the catastrophic destruction of Gaza’s healthcare system between 12 October 2023 and 30 June 2024, detailing 136 strikes on 27 hospitals and 12 medical facilities.

These attacks killed doctors, nurses, medics and civilians, with the deliberate targeting of hospitals potentially constituting a war crime.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk condemned the assaults, stating: “The one sanctuary where Palestinians should have felt safe in fact became a death trap.” He stressed that hospitals must remain protected “at all times”.