Israeli army besieges Al-Awda Hospital in Gaza Again
The People’s Health Movement calls upon the international community for an urgent intervention to stop the attack against patients and health workers in the Al-Awda Hospital in Jabalya.
In northern Gaza, the Al-Awda hospital is in a critical condition. It has been under siege by the Israeli army for three days, cutting off 148 health workers and 22 patients from the outside world since Sunday 19 May. Testimonies paint a grim picture of Israeli snipers and artillery fire strafing the hospital, despite its protected status under international humanitarian law.
This is a new attack against one of the last lifelines in the North of Gaza by the Israeli forces and a violation of international humanitarian law, at a time where the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court is seeking arrest warrants for war crimes and crimes against humanity against Netanyahu.
Acting director Mohammed Salha: "We were surprised today [Sunday 19 May] by the siege of Al-Awda hospital. [There was] shooting near the hospital and many shells. The ambulances could not [leave] the hospital to get the wounded off the field. Al-Awda is the only hospital that offers orthopedic surgery. 80% of all injuries are bone injuries and require orthopedic surgery."
Eighteen days under siege
The Al-Awda Hospital is the only hospital in northern Gaza that still offers maternity care and orthopedic surgery. The Awda Health and Community association, with 2 hospitals and 6 health and community centers in the Gaza Strip, is a PHM member organization. PHM has been campaignig for the liberation of dr. Ahmed Muhanna, hospital director of the Awda Jabalya hospital. He was arrested during the first Isreali siege against the hospital in December 2023. During this 18-day siege, in which three doctors were shot and 48 beds were lost due to heavy damage to the hospital premises, dr. Muhanna was captured by Israeli forces.
Until today, the total number of Al Awda staff killed since Oct. 7, 2023, mounts up to 14 casualties. Despite these challenges, medical staff continued to work under extremely difficult conditions. "We remain strong. Everyone here has lost a brother, a sister, a son, a daughter, a father, a mother, a friend. But it is not about the number of lives we have lost, but the number of lives we have saved," Acting Director Mohammed Salha said of this in February. "We haven't seen our family for months. We are angry, we are hungry. But we will remain human until our last breath. And when we die, we will do so with dignity and in peace."
One of Gaza's last lifelines
"We, as a people's movement, as human rights defenders and health rights defenders, demand that the Israeli army ends its siege of the Al-Awda Hospital immediately, preserving the life and safety of patients and health personnel. They should be able to move freely in and out of the hospital, so that medical supplies can reach the hospital”, said Román Vega, Global Coordinator of the People’s Health Movement.
Fuel and water are no longer available in the hospital. Countless lives are at stake if Al-Awda falls.