Rédaction Africa Links 24 with CNN
Published on 2024-02-20 08:30:39
Israeli troops forced doctors and medical staff to leave the Nasser Medical Complex in Gaza, strip down to their underwear, and wait in the cold for hours before allowing five doctors to go back into the building to treat patients, an eyewitness told CNN on Monday.
The incident occurred as the Israeli military reported arresting hundreds of militants at the hospital, some posing as doctors. The military also claimed to have found medications with the names of Israeli hostages on them inside the hospital. However, the eyewitness reported that when the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) took control of the hospital last week, they broadcast a message ordering the doctors to come outside. When the medics came out and were directed to take off their clothes, they protested but were forced to strip down and wait in the cold for several hours.
The witness said the doctors protested against being asked to remove their clothes due to the frigid conditions. Despite their protests, the doctors were ordered to remove their clothes and waited outside for several hours before Israeli troops selected five doctors to return to the complex to treat the patients. The fate of the remaining doctors is unknown.
The Nasser hospital was once the largest functioning hospital in Gaza before the IDF’s raid last week. The hospital now has around 180 patients and 15 medical staff, relying on a backup generator to maintain lifesaving machines as it lacks tap water and electricity. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has reported challenges in delivering fuel to the hospital amid the ongoing military activity in the area.
The eyewitness stated that the situation inside the hospital was dire, with a lack of food, water, and electricity leading to patients dying every day. The WHO and other organizations provided some water and canned goods, but the patients required carbohydrates such as bread or rice. The WHO also evacuated patients in need of oxygen due to the ongoing shortage of basic medical supplies.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza reported that around 70 healthcare workers in the medical complex were arrested by Israeli forces and 80 patients had been transferred to an unknown location. The IDF claimed to have apprehended “hundreds” of Hamas militants hiding in Nasser Hospital, including some posing as medical staff.
The Israeli military also claimed that some of the militants they apprehended had participated in an attack on Israel and had connections to Israeli hostages. However, Gaza’s Ministry of Health denied these claims, stating that hospitals in Gaza provide service to civilians.
CNN has seen at least one instance of Palestinian men stripped of most of their clothes and being held by Israeli troops. Israel has previously stated that it takes away people’s clothing for fear they could conceal explosives and insisted that it treats detainees in accordance with international law.
The IDF did not immediately respond to a CNN question about forcing medical staff to remove their clothes in the cold. However, the military released a statement claiming to have found medicines with the names of Israeli hostages on them during their raid on the medical complex.
The situation at the Nasser Medical Complex in Gaza remains complex and multifaceted. The conflicting reports from the Israeli military and Gaza’s Ministry of Health make it difficult to fully understand the circumstances surrounding the events at the hospital. However, the eyewitness account provided to CNN highlights the intense suffering and challenges faced by the patients and staff at the hospital. It is crucial for humanitarian organizations and international bodies to address the urgent medical and humanitarian needs of the hospital and its patients.
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