Palestinian Health Ministry Condemns Israeli Raid on Hebron Hospital

The Palestinian Health Ministry strongly condemned an Israeli military raid on the courtyards of Ahli Hospital in the West Bank city of Hebron, calling it a violation of international law and an attack on the Palestinian healthcare system.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the ministry described the incursion as part of Israel’s “ongoing and escalating” actions against medical institutions in Palestinian territories. “Hospitals and medical facilities are protected under international humanitarian law according to the 4th Geneva Convention, along with the 1977 Additional Protocols I and II and the 1954 Hague Convention, which stipulate special protections for civilian sites, including hospitals and medical institutions,” the statement read.

The ministry urged the international community and human rights organizations to take immediate action to safeguard Palestinian medical facilities, staff, and patients from what it described as repeated violations by Israeli forces.

According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, the Israeli military detained seven Palestinians during the operation at the hospital. Soldiers also seized surveillance camera recordings, though Israeli authorities have not provided details on the raid or its objectives.

Tensions have been high across the West Bank in recent months, particularly since the outbreak of the conflict in Gaza on October 7, 2023. Since then, at least 930 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 7,000 injured in Israeli military operations and attacks by settlers, according to Palestinian health officials.

The raid on Ahli Hospital is the latest in a series of incidents that have drawn international criticism over Israel’s handling of Palestinian healthcare institutions. In July, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories illegal, calling for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Human rights organizations have repeatedly warned that Israeli military actions in the occupied territories, particularly those affecting hospitals, could amount to breaches of international law. The Palestinian Health Ministry reiterated its call for urgent international intervention, stressing the need to protect Palestinian civilians and the healthcare system from further assaults.