Israel orders 3 hospitals to be evacuated in northern Gaza: Health Ministry

By Nour Abuaisha

GAZA STRIP, Palestine (AA) - The Israeli army ordered the evacuation of patients and staff at three hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip, the enclave’s Health Ministry said Tuesday.

Israel “demands the evacuation of Kamal Adwan Hospital, the Indonesian Hospital, and Al-Awda Hospital from patients and health personnel,” it said in a statement.

Israeli troops arrested "a paramedic who accompanied a critical care patient during their transfer from Kamal Adwan Hospital despite prior coordination,” according to the statement, that noted the army is besieging the Kamal Adwan Hospital and firing at its administrative headquarters.

The army threatened the hospitals with "destruction, killing, and arrest" if they did not evacuate, similar to what happened at the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City which has been besieged for weeks at a time since last November, it added.

The ministry warned that the Kamal Adwan Hospital could stop functioning within hours because of a lack of fuel.

Gaza health officials pleaded for the "serious protection for health institutions and their staff, especially in the northern Gaza Strip."

Hossam Abu Safia, director of the Kamal Adwan Hospital, said in an audio recording sent to reporters that "the Israeli army has given them 24 hours to completely evacuate the hospital of patients and health staff."

"The army communicated directly and threatened us, saying we must evacuate the hospital or we would put ourselves in danger,” he said.

Abu Safia described the Israeli move as dangerous, threatening the "collapse of the health care system in the northern Gaza Strip" and expressed concerns about a potential new plan to displace residents of northern Gaza by incapacitating the health care system.

The Israeli army announced Sunday the beginning of a military operation in Jabalia, claiming it was to "prevent Hamas from regaining strength in the area," following hours of fierce attacks on the eastern and western areas of northern Gaza in the most intense fighting since May.

Witnesses reported that Israeli ground military vehicles reached areas in northwestern Gaza.

Earlier Tuesday, the Israeli army warned Palestinians to evacuate their homes in Jabalia town and its camp and head south through a "safe corridor," while the Gaza Interior Ministry cautioned residents about complying because it is "deception and lies."

Israel has continued a brutal offensive on Gaza following an attack by Hamas last October, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

Nearly 42,000 victims have since been killed, mostly women and children, and nearly 97,600 injured, according to local health authorities.

The onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.​​​​​​​

Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala