The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has published a powerful new video. They claim that it shows the location of Hamas-built tunnels underneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza. As the military would later admit, the video actually showed different buildings, and not the hospital at all. This concession comes after three weeks of Israel’s airstrikes on the hospital. Not surprisingly, these strikes have raised grave concerns about the safety of civilians and access to much-needed medical care in the region.
On Tuesday, the IDF had already fired at least nine missiles on the European Hospital. This facility is the only remaining facility in Gaza providing critical cancer and cardiac care. The impact of the strikes has killed at least 16 and injured over 70. As a consequence, that hospital was forced to shut down, according to other reports from Gaza’s health ministry. The plight there has caught the world’s attention, as the crisis reveals the broader effects of the continued wartime impacts on civilian populations.
IDF’s Claims Under Scrutiny
The IDF long ago claimed that Hamas uses civilian infrastructure, down to and including hospitals, to hide its military operations. Most of these claims are poorly substantiated assertions at best. On Tuesday, the IDF released a video they claimed showed tunnel infrastructure. That finding came from a recent analysis of aerial and satellite imagery. The footage revealed structures that had been nestled within a compound of educational institutions only 150 to 200 meters from the hospital’s entrance.
“The underground infrastructure was located beneath the European Hospital compound, and passed under the adjacent area that was marked in the graphic.” – IDF
The video went on to make baseless accusations about markings that indicate the existence of underground tunnels. It did not provide any data to support those claims. The IDF’s continued lack of transparency about these allegations has caused many observers, including us, to question the IDF’s credibility on this issue.
Impact on Civilian Health Care
The impact of the airstrikes on the European Hospital has been devastating on healthcare facilities in Gaza. With the facility no longer able to operate after being shelled, thousands of patients are suddenly left without life-saving surgery and other essential medical services. Gaza’s health ministry has called the systematic targeting of hospitals a ‘war crime’ and condemned the continuing airstrikes on medical facilities.
“The repeated targeting of the hospital makes it impossible to provide medical care, as it poses a risk to medical staff, the wounded, and patients.” – Gaza’s health ministry
Without the hospital, people who require immediate care for life-threatening conditions are at increased risk. Their health and well-being are now more threatened than ever. The humanitarian crisis there is deepening by the day. Increasingly, humanitarian and military voices are calling for a rethink of military operations in urban environments.
Continuing Concerns Over Civilian Safety
In the IDF’s uncompromising campaign to punish Hamas, it has struck indiscriminately. Regrettably, this has led to the unacceptable and egregious harm to innocent civilians. The military’s efforts to dismantle what it describes as Hamas’s operational infrastructure often occur without adequate verification, resulting in devastating consequences for non-combatants.
The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is horrifying as both Hamas, Israel, and the U.S. deal with ramping up war fever. The continued fighting is not only putting lives at risk, but deepening the already severe humanitarian crisis. Thousands of civilians have no access to medical care and are living under constant threat of violence.
