Bodies of Palestinians killed by an explosion at the Al-Ahli Arab hospital are seen gathered at Al-Shifa hospital, in Gaza City, central Gaza Strip, Oct. 17, 2023. AP
Nov 27,
2023. Posted by Balkan Periscope - Hellas
Hamas
issued a statement on Monday condemning the initial report issued by Human
Rights Watch (HRW) regarding the attacks on hospitals in the Gaza Strip,
especially the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital.
Fact checkers provide evidence of Israel's responsibility for Ahli Baptist hospital strike
Thousands in Palestinian, Arab and world
cities protest Israel’s Baptist hospital massacre in Gaza
Egypt condemns in strongest terms Israeli
strike on Baptist hospital in Gaza
The human
rights organization released a report late on Sunday in which it held the
resistance factions responsible for the aerial bombardment of Al-Ahli Baptist
Hospital.
HRW report
also questioned the number of casualties reported by the Palestinian health
ministry in Gaza, pointing out the disproportion between the reported figures
and the visible damage to the bombarded site.
"The
explosion that killed and injured many civilians at Al-Ahli Baptist Arab
Hospital in Gaza on 17 October 2023 resulted from an apparent rocket-propelled
munition, such as those commonly used by Palestinian movements," said Ida
Sawyer, crisis and conflict director at Human Rights Watch.
Hamas says
that the organization provided no clear material evidence for its conclusion,
even though investigations by many international bodies have confirmed the
Israeli occupation’s responsibility for the targeting that affected not only
Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital but all the hospitals in the Gaza Strip.
"What
further undermines the credibility of this report is that the writers of the
report could not have had access to the scene of the event, collected evidence,
met witnesses, or listened to the reports of the competent authorities,"
Hamas statement added.
Furthermore,
the Palestinian faction called on the organization to review the report and
wait for the end of the aggression, stressing that Human Rights Watch is
welcome to visit Gaza to investigate the incident directly.
According
to the Palestinian health ministry, at least 471 people were killed and 342
injured in the Israeli strike that targeted Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital on
17th October.
Many who
fell due to the strike had already been displaced by Israeli raids and camping
on the hospital's grounds.
The HRW
report confirmed, however, that Israeli forces have carried out repeated,
apparently unlawful, attacks on medical facilities, personnel, and transport.
As of 24
November, The World Health Organization (WHO) has documented 187 attacks on
healthcare facilities in Gaza since 7 October, resulting in damages to 24
hospitals.
As a result
of the hostilities, WHO said, the majority of hospitals in Gaza were no longer
functioning.
Ahram Online
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