'Acts of war in places of grace must stop,' UN official says amid Israeli attacks on Gaza hospitals

By Rasa Evrensel

ISTANBUL (AA) - Amid Israeli attacks on hospitals in the Gaza Strip, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths on Friday said "acts of war in places of grace must stop."

“Horrific reports of attacks on Al Shifa hospital coming out of Gaza today," he said in a post on X.

“The lives of thousands of patients, staff and displaced civilians are at risk. Under international humanitarian law, hospitals must be protected."

Separately, the Doctors Without Borders medical charity said the "situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate" and repeated its call that "attacks on medical facilities, ambulances, staff and patients MUST STOP!"

The Al-Shifa Hospital has come under multiple attacks in the last few hours, according to officials. It is the main operational health facility in Gaza City, providing emergency and surgical care, with hundreds of patients and civilians inside.

Israel’s military accuses that Hamas operates a command center at the site of the hospital, a claim the group and hospital officials have denied.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip – including hospitals, residences, and houses of worship – since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 11,078 Palestinians have been killed, including 4,506 children and 3,027 women. The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, is nearly 1,600, according to official figures.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi