Abduction of medical staff at Amal Hospital in Khan Younis

In early December 2023, the IDF commenced extensive military operations in Khan Younis, particularly in its western part where two of the main hospitals of the governorate are situated - Al Amal Hospital and Nassr Medial Complex. During its ground operation, the IDF attacked Al Amal Hospital,19 the adjacent headquarters of Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS HQ),20 and its vicinity, resulting in damage to hospital buildings and ambulances, as well as deaths and injuries ofPalestinians. On 22 January, IDF troops besieged Al Amal Hospital and PRCS HQ, blocking the roads surrounding the hospital and preventing any movement to or from the medical facility. According to OHCHR monitoring, on 30 January, IDF troops raided the hospital’s courtyard, forcing the reported 7,000 IDPs sheltering there to leave. On 7 February, IDF vehicles positioned in front of Al Amal Hospital fired directly at the hospital, and two days later the IDF raided the hospital. During the raid, the IDF detained several medical staff, patients and patients’ companions from the hospital. Some of the medical staff later released by the IDF alleged torture and ill-treatment during their detention. While the IDF’s operation in Khan Younis was ongoing, the IDF raided the hospital for a second time, on 25 March, ordering the remaining patients and their Companions to evacuate. The IDF withdrew from Al Amal Hospital on 7 April as part of their larger withdrawal from Khan Younis. The IDF alleged that “Hamas terrorists” were operating from inside and around Al Amal Hospital and Nasser Medical Complex. 24 OHCHR was unable to verify the presence of Palestinian armed groups in the area;

According to PRCS, on 25 March 2024, the IDF evacuated all PRCS staff, patients, and companions from Al Amal Hospital, while on 26 March, Al Amal Hospital was rendered out of service.

Al Amal Hospital and the PRCS HQ are both situated within the same campus. Al Amal Hospital works under the supervision of PRCS, and it is one of its facilities. Al Amal Hospital and PRCS HQ are located in Al Amal neighbourhood in the western part of Khan Younis City. The hospital and PRCS HQ are located less than 500 metres from Nasser Medical Complex in the same neighbourhood. Al Amal Hospital and Nasser Medical Complex are the two hospitals serving western Khan Younis, including Al Mawasi area where many Palestinians were sheltering as the IDF repeatedly ordered those in certain areas of Khan Younis to evacuate to this area.

On 31 January 2024, according to PRCS, a security guard of the PRCS HQ adjacent to the hospital and a psychosocial service volunteer were shot and killed. Two days later, on 2 February, an Israeli Air Force (IAF) drone reportedly opened fire towards the PRCS HQ, killing five Palestinians, including the Director of the Youth and Volunteers Department in PRCS, and injuring six others. The information gathered by OHCHR suggests the presence of IDF military vehicles at both the eastern and western sides of the hospital in late January and early February, encircling the hospital, and IDF dominating the hospital’s surroundings at the time of these shootings.

Use of siege tactics against hospitals and associated premises

In each operation on a hospital documented by OHCHR, after multiple strikes on structures in the vicinity, the Israeli military besieged the premises. The siege cut off access and isolated those insides, including patients, medical staff and IDPs, while preventing the entry of medical supplies and other necessities of life, negatively impacting individuals’ rights to health and life. The siege of Kamal Adwan hospital in north of Gaza and Al Amal Hospital in south of Gaza are two of six emblematic cases monitored and documented by OHCHR.

Hospitals in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, were also besieged during intense IDF operations since early December 2023. On 22 January 2024, IDF troops began besieging Al Amal Hospital and PRCS HQ, lasting at least until the hospital was raided and forcibly evacuated by the IDF on 9 February. Prior to the siege, between 11 December 2023 and 21 January 2024, OHCHR documented at least 13 strikes on Al Amal Hospital and the adjacent PRCS HQ or in their vicinity. As of 24 January, IDF troops were located on the northern, eastern and western sides of the hospital dominating the surrounding areas, with activity including the erection of earth berms. On 30 January, PRCS announced that IDF troops had raided Al Amal Hospital’s courtyard, and that approximately 8,000 IDPs were forced to leave the hospital. On 1 February, PRCS announced that IDF troops had surrounded the hospital from all directions. On 9 February, PRCS announced that IDF troops had raided the premises of Al Amal Hospital. Due to the IDF’s siege around the hospital, between 31 January and 7 February, three patients - one infant and two older persons - reportedly died because of the cessation of oxygen.62 Al Amal Hospital was rendered out of service by 28 March, but it began partial services again on 2 May.

Other violations during hospital sieges

During the sieges of Al Shifa Hospital and Indonesian Hospital in November, Al Awda Hospita and Kamal Adwan Hospital in December, and Al Amal Hospital and PRCS HQ in January, live ammunition was fired at civilians, resulting in civilian casualties including medical staff, and effectively preventing civilians from moving within hospitals and their vicinity. No information available at the time of writing suggests that the victims were taking a direct part in hostilities or that the fire was directed at legitimate targets, raising serious concerns of violations of the principle of distinction.

As part of its siege of hospitals, the Israel military blocked the delivery of essential medical and other supplies to these hospitals creating life-threatening shortages. This was seen with shortages of medicine as well as fuel, oxygen, and food during sieges of Al Awda Hospital and Kamal Adwan Hospital in December, and of Al Amal Hospital in January/February, reportedly causing the death of three patients. The denial of food and medical supplies to civilians trapped inside hospitals runs counter to several obligations of parties to the conflict to respect and protect medical units, which includes ensuring their unhampered functioning, the prohibition of starvation as a method of warfare, and the obligation to allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief to civilians in need.101 The manner in which the sieges were conducted also calls into question the IDF’s respect of its obligation to take constant care to spare the civilian population, civilians and civilian objects in the conduct of military operations,102 while the impact of the sieges on civilians was entirely foreseeable.

Thematic Report Attacks on hospitals during the escalation of hostilities in Gaza

https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/2024/02/12/inside-siege-gaza-largest-remaining-hospital-nasser-khan-younis