Israeli Forces Kidnap Hospital Medical Staff in Gaza

Israeli forces detained Hossam Abu Safiyeh, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, along with other medical personnel, the health ministry in Gaza said on Saturday.

"The occupation forces have taken dozens of the medical staff from Kamal Adwan Hospital to a detention center for interrogation, including the director, Hossam Abu Safiyeh," the ministry's statement read.

The Gaza civil defense agency also confirmed Abu Safiyeh's detention, stating that Ahmed Hassan al-Kahlout, its director for the northern region, was among those held.

"The occupation has completely destroyed the medical, humanitarian, and civil defense systems in the north, rendering them useless," Mahmud Bassal, the agency's spokesman, told AFP.

On Friday, the Israeli military announced an operation in the area of the hospital, claiming it was a "key stronghold" for Palestinian forces.

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas denied the allegations, asserting that no fighters were present in the hospital. Hamas added that the Israeli troops forced their way into the medical facility.

The World Health Organization said the raid rendered the hospital, the last major health facility in northern Gaza, non-operational.

"This morning's raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital has put this last major health facility in north Gaza out of service.

Initial reports indicate that some key departments were severely burnt and destroyed during the raid," the WHO stated on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has killed at least 45,436 Palestinians and wounded 108,038 since October 7, 2023.