Palestinian doctor shot dead by Israeli forces while on way to northern Gaza hospital

By Hosni Nadim

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – A Palestinian doctor was shot dead by Israeli forces on Thursday, in the latest attack on medical personnel in the Gaza Strip, medics said.

Saeed Jouda, an orthopedist, was shot in the head as he was on his way to his work at Al-Awda Hospital in the northern town of Beit Lahia, the hospital said in a statement.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 1,057 medical personnel were killed by Israeli army fire in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023.

Figures released by local authorities also showed that Israeli attacks forced 34 hospitals and 80 health centers out of service, while 162 health institutions and 135 ambulances were targeted by army forces.

Since Oct. 5, Israel has launched a large-scale ground operation in northern Gaza to allegedly prevent the Palestinian resistance group Hamas from regrouping. Palestinians, however, accuse Israel of seeking to occupy the area and forcibly displace its residents.

Since then, almost no humanitarian aid, including food, medicine, and fuel, has been allowed into the area, leaving the remaining population in the area on the verge of famine.

Nearly 4,000 people have since been killed in northern Gaza, according to Palestinian health authorities.

The assault was the latest episode in a genocidal war launched by Israel on Gaza since a Hamas attack last year, killing more than 44,800 people, mostly women and children.

Last month, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its deadly war on Gaza.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar