The World Health Organization shared a photo of patients receiving treatment at Kamal Adwan hospital in Beit Lahia. The UN human rights chief expressed concern about the ongoing war in Gaza, particularly in the north of the territory. Dr. Volker Türk urged world leaders to take action to ensure respect for international humanitarian law. The situation in northern Gaza has been described as dire, with reports of Israeli troops raiding hospitals and detaining patients and staff. The UN human rights chief warned of potential atrocity crimes and called for the protection of civilians and human rights. The WHO team evacuated patients from Kamal Adwan hospital amidst escalating hostilities in the area, but communication with the hospital staff has been lost. The World Health Organization is also packed with hundreds of individuals seeking shelter,” he cautioned.
“We are calling for an immediate ceasefire and the protection of hospitals, patients, healthcare workers, and humanitarian workers.”
The Israeli military stated that its forces were “conducting operations in the vicinity of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Jabalia, based on intelligence indicating the presence of terrorists and terrorist infrastructure in the area.”
“In the weeks leading up to the operation, the [forces] assisted in the evacuation of patients from the area while maintaining emergency services,” it continued.
Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi urged US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to exert pressure on Israel regarding the worsening humanitarian crisis and the mass displacement of civilians in the north.
“We see ethnic cleansing occurring in northern Gaza, and it must come to an end,” he stated at the beginning of a meeting in London.
Many Palestinians believe that the Israeli military is carrying out the so-called “Generals’ Plan” in the north, which involves forcibly displacing all approximately 400,000 civilians to the south, followed by a siege of any remaining Hamas fighters.
The Israeli military has refuted the existence of such a plan and asserts that it is ensuring the safe evacuation of civilians.
Safadi also cautioned that the Middle East is on the “verge of a regional war,” emphasizing that with each meeting with Blinken, the situation worsens due to the Israeli government’s lack of cooperation.
“The only way to prevent the region from descending into chaos is for Israel to cease its aggressions in Gaza, Lebanon, and cease unilateral and illegal actions in the West Bank,” he declared.
Blinken held discussions with Arab leaders and foreign ministers in the UK following a diplomatic mission to the Middle East.
The US is reportedly working on a post-conflict plan for Gaza, seeking support from Arab nations, despite ongoing delays in ceasefire and hostage negotiations for Gaza.
Blinken stated that he was engaged in crucial talks “to end the war in Gaza and outline the path forward.” He also highlighted the urgent need for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Israel announced that the head of its Mossad intelligence agency would travel to Doha to meet with the CIA director and Qatar’s prime minister in renewed efforts to resume Gaza ceasefire and hostage release discussions.
This development followed a meeting between a Hamas delegation and Egyptian security officials in Cairo, where Hamas reiterated its conditions for a deal, including the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
In response to Hamas’ unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage, Israel launched a campaign to dismantle Hamas.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, more than 42,840 people have died in Gaza since then.