The director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, surrounded by Israeli drones and tanks, has issued a desperate plea to the international community for protection. According to the reports of Leaders team sources, the hospital, one of the few still operational in the besieged region, is grappling with relentless attacks, a depleted medical staff, and a dire shortage of supplies.
“We are now facing direct bombing of the intensive care unit again,” said Dr. Hussam Abu Safia in a video statement on Saturday night. He called for urgent intervention to safeguard the hospital’s 66 patients and its remaining medical staff. “The nursery, maternity, and all departments are being targeted by the occupation forces with all types of weapons, including sniper fire, tank shells, and quadcopters,” he added.
As per the reports of sources, Deir el-Balah, the situation at Kamal Adwan Hospital reflects a calculated assault on healthcare facilities in Gaza. “What we are seeing now is a deliberate attack on the health facility,” Mahmoud said, adding that the Israeli military had ordered evacuations but created an environment so threatening that leaving feels equally perilous.
Footage verified by Al Jazeera showed wounded Palestinians sheltering in the hospital corridors after Israeli forces opened fire. Despite their efforts to stay away from windows, bullets penetrated walls, causing injuries and damaging vital equipment. Overnight, contact with those inside the hospital was lost, heightening fears for their safety.
Global Condemnation and a Worsening Humanitarian Crisis
The attacks on Kamal Adwan and other medical facilities, including al-Awda Hospital in the Jabalia refugee camp, have drawn widespread condemnation. The World Health Organization (WHO) chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, described the situation as “deeply worrisome” and reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire.
More than 45,000 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, have been killed in the offensive, which has devastated Gaza’s infrastructure and displaced almost its entire population of 2.4 million. Israel has justified its military actions as a response to Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, which resulted in over 1,100 Israeli deaths and the abduction of approximately 250 people.
Dr. Abu Safia dismissed the claim that the hospital was being used as a combat zone, describing it as a pretext for the attacks. “We hold the world responsible for what is occurring and for our repeated appeals,” he said. “There seems to be no response.”
Escalating Violence
As per the sources of Leaders team, in the past 24 hours alone, Gaza health officials reported 34 Palestinian fatalities, including four children killed in a strike on Jabalia. Another attack on a school-turned-shelter resulted in eight deaths, including four children, with Israel asserting that the facility was used as a Hamas command center.
Humanitarian organizations have decried the deteriorating conditions. The World Food Programme revealed that, of the 101 requests filed to deliver food aid to northern Gaza since October, only three were approved. Human Rights Watch has accused Israel of deliberately obstructing access to water and basic necessities, raising allegations of genocide.
Hope for a Ceasefire?
Despite the escalating violence, Palestinian groups have indicated that a ceasefire deal is “closer than ever.” In a joint statement, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine expressed optimism about reaching an agreement, provided Israel does not impose new conditions.
For now, however, the situation at Kamal Adwan Hospital remains critical. As shells rain down and the death toll rises, the desperate calls for international intervention grow louder, yet the world remains largely silent.
