UPDATE - Türkiye condemns in strongest terms Israel's attack on Gaza's Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital

ADDS BACKGROUND ON HOSPITAL

By Zehra Nur Duz and Necva Tastan

ANKARA/ISTANBUL (AA) - Türkiye on Monday condemned in the strongest terms Israel's attack on Gaza’s Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, the only cancer hospital in the besieged enclave.

“There can be no justification for such an attack carried out despite (the fact that) all necessary information, including the coordinates of the institution, was previously shared with the Israeli authorities,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“The siege in Gaza, aimed at depriving the Palestinian people of their most basic rights, and these inhumane attacks clearly violate international law,” the ministry added.

It called on Israel to cease targeting the residents of Gaza indiscriminately.

Earlier in the day, the medical facility, which is dedicated to cancer patients in Gaza, suffered damage from Israeli airstrikes, particularly impacting its third and top floors.

Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since Oct. 7 have repeatedly targeted hospitals, residences and house of worship such as mosques and churches. Under the Geneva Convention, attacks on hospitals are strictly prohibited.​​​​​​​

- Only cancer hospital in Gaza Strip

The Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital is located in the eastern part of the Gaza Strip close to an area where the Israeli army entered and withdrew early Monday.

It is a fully-fledged training and research hospital. Operating within the faculty of medicine of the Islamic University of Gaza, the facility also trains doctors, nurses and other paramedic staff.

Standing out as one of the largest hospitals in Palestine, the medical institution is built on an area of nearly 34,800 square meters and has three floors and a capacity of 180 beds.

It was completely transferred to the health administration in Gaza after its construction by Türkiye in 2017.