Israeli forces raid Gaza hospital, detain 240 doctors and others

The Associated Press and other foreign media reported that Israel raided Kamal Adwan Hospital, the last major medical facility left in northern Gaza, and detained more than 240 people, including hospital directors and medical staff.

Foreign media said on the 27th local time that Israeli forces attacked Kamal Adwan Hospital, claiming that the hospital was being used as the headquarters of Hamas command.

The Israeli military also said hospital director Abu Shafiya was suspected of being a Hamas agent and described the other 240 people detained, including dozens of medical staff, as "terrorists."

The detainees included Hamas anti-tank missile agents and 15 others who took part in a surprise attack on Israel in October last year, he said.

He then claimed that more than 350 patients and medical staff were evacuated prior to the operation, and that 95 people were moved to nearby hospitals in cooperation with local health authorities during the operation.

"The hospital was used as a command and control center for terrorists," Israeli military spokesman Lt Col Nadav Shoshani said in a statement. "We found and confiscated weapons in the hospital through precise operations."

Hamas, however, said Israel's claims were false and refuted that there were no agents in the hospital.

The hospital in Beit Lahiya, north of Gaza's Zabaliya, has been caring for patients amid months of Israeli attacks, but it was eventually shut down.

"There are no medical facilities, no ambulances, no civil defense in the north," a resident of Zavaliya told AFP. "The situation is catastrophic."

Attacking medical facilities that function as natural remedies against civilians as well as combatants during a war may, depending on the case and degree, violate international humanitarian law (war law) on armed conflict.

The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has not even listened to the concerns of international organizations, including the United Nations.

The World Health Organization (WHO) under the United Nations expressed serious concern.

The WHO criticized on social media, saying, "We are stunned by the attack that occurred the day before," adding, "The organized dismantling of the health system and the siege that lasted for more than 80 days are putting the lives of more than 75,000 people in the region at risk."

Initial reports said some of the hospitals were badly burned and destroyed.

The WHO says it will carry out an emergency mission to transfer critical care patients to Gaza City among those taken to hospitals that have been shut down nearby.

Israel continued airstrikes on Gaza on the 28th.

The Israeli military says it has launched operations against remaining targets in the Beit Hanun area after ordering evacuations of civilians.

It also noted that two missiles were fired into Israel from northern Gaza, and that the military intercepted them all.

Gaza's health ministry says 18 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes.