The World Health Organization (WHO) has strongly condemned a deadly attack on the Kuwaiti field hospital in southern Gaza, which left one person dead and at least nine others injured. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for immediate protection of healthcare facilities and workers in the region.
The strike, which occurred earlier this week, also damaged four ambulances and disrupted medical services in an area already struggling with limited access to healthcare due to the ongoing conflict. Dr. Tedros emphasized that attacks on hospitals and emergency workers risk cutting off critical lifelines for patients.
“Health workers, patients, and their companions were among the injured,” Tedros said. “Such attacks deter people from seeking the care they need and can take entire facilities out of operation.”
Attack Leaves Hospital in Crisis
The Kuwaiti field hospital, located in the city of Rafah near the Egyptian border, had been serving thousands of Palestinians fleeing violence in northern Gaza. Its limited staff and supplies were already under pressure before the attack.
According to Palestinian health officials, the hospital is now operating at reduced capacity, with only a few functioning wards. Emergency services are being rerouted to nearby facilities that are also overwhelmed.
The targeted hospital was one of the few still active in southern Gaza. WHO previously warned that fewer than 40% of hospitals across Gaza remain even partially operational due to ongoing strikes, fuel shortages, and a lack of medical supplies.
WHO Calls for Humanitarian Access and Ceasefire
Dr. Tedros reiterated calls for unrestricted humanitarian access, including the urgent delivery of medical supplies and equipment to Gaza. He also repeated WHO’s long-standing plea for a ceasefire to protect civilians and frontline workers.
“We continue to call for the protection of health care. We demand a ceasefire and the immediate lifting of the blockade to allow in essential medical aid,” he said.
The WHO chief added that medical teams across Gaza are working under “inhumane conditions,” treating the wounded with limited electricity, water, and medicine.
A Broader Health Crisis Unfolds
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, more than 30,000 people have been killed since the conflict intensified in October 2023, with over 70,000 injured. Hospitals and clinics have become makeshift shelters, forcing doctors to operate in crowded, unsafe conditions.
Many field hospitals, including the Kuwaiti facility, have been relying on international donations and non-governmental support. The attack threatens to reduce the availability of care even further.
Dr. Richard Brennan, WHO’s Regional Emergency Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, stated that without consistent aid access, “we are facing a public health catastrophe.”
International Response and Legal Concerns
The incident has sparked condemnation from multiple human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Doctors Without Borders (MSF). Both groups described the attack as a potential violation of international humanitarian law, which prohibits targeting medical personnel and infrastructure during armed conflict.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres also expressed concern, urging all parties to respect international laws and the sanctity of medical facilities.
Health Workers Face Mounting Risks
Medical professionals in Gaza have increasingly become direct targets or collateral victims of violence. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reports that over 300 healthcare workers have been killed since the escalation began. Dozens of ambulances have been destroyed or damaged.
“We are running out of options,” said Dr. Hani Al-Jaafarawi, a surgeon at a hospital in Khan Younis. “We have no safe zones left. Even hospitals are not spared.”
A Call for Accountability and Action
As calls for accountability grow, WHO has urged an independent investigation into the attack and greater international pressure to end hostilities. Humanitarian agencies say time is running out to prevent further collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has called for the protection of health services to be non-negotiable. “All parties must respect health care,” the ICRC said in a statement.
