'We want hospitals to be off limits' in Gaza: UN

HAMILTON, Canada

The UN on Thursday denounced the targeting of hospitals in the Gaza Strip, saying that medical facilities need "to be off limits."

Responding to Anadolu's question on Israel detaining the director of the Kamal Adwan Hospital and the social media campaign for his release, UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters that the Security Council will convene Friday and will be briefed by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk.

"Obviously, we have concerns about the rest of hospital personnel. We want hospitals to be off limits," he said, reiterating a World Health Organization's statement about the "large need for people to be medically evacuated from hospitals, including from Kamal Adwan."

Saying that there are more than 12,000 people in Gaza who need medical evacuation, Haq said: "There's a lot of hospital needs. We do continue to call on all sides to keep hospitals out of harm's way, which means not placing or trying to infiltrate the hospitals, but also not attacking them."

"We want to make sure that all steps are taken to protect and preserve the lives of the injured and sick, who are in those hospitals," he added.

Haq cited an Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) report and said Israel's "evacuation orders" cover more than 80% of the Gaza Strip.

He noted that humanitarian aid organizations face increasing restrictions.

December was recorded as the month with the highest number of restrictions on humanitarian aid, Haq said.

"Overall, 39% of UN attempts to move aid workers anywhere in Gaza were denied by the Israeli authorities, while another 18% were disrupted, with another 18% disrupted on the ground or hindered," he said, adding that since Oct. 6, 2024, Israel has not permitted entry of aid into northern Gaza.

Asked about the Palestinian decision to halt broadcasts and temporarily suspend Al Jazeera's operation late Tuesday until Al Jazeera “complies fully with Palestinian laws and regulations,”,Haq said all media outlets, including the Qatar-based operation, must be allowed to carry out their work without any obstruction.

He urged a lifting of all obstacles against journalists, emphasizing the need to uphold media freedoms.