The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) convened on 3 January 2025 to address Israeli military actions in Gaza, focusing on alleged attacks on hospitals and the misuse of medical facilities by Hamas. Dr Tanya Haj Hassan, a medical practitioner with Medical Aid for Palestinians, delivered a powerful testimony, describing the dire situation in Gaza as a “systematic massacre.”
Dr Hassan highlighted the targeting of healthcare workers, stating that wearing medical attire had become akin to wearing a target. “I never thought international law would allow 2 million people to be locked in a cage and systematically massacred,” she told the Council. Her testimony underscored the psychological toll on Gaza’s population, with 96 per cent of children believing their death to be imminent. She recounted the tragic deaths of seven infants due to hypothermia, symbolising the humanitarian crisis.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk reiterated the need for independent investigations into Israeli attacks on medical infrastructure. His office documented patterns of airstrikes, ground raids, and detentions that rendered hospitals non-functional. He criticised the use of heavy weapons on healthcare facilities, questioning Israel’s justification of military necessity.
The World Health Organization (WHO) also reported that only 16 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals remain partially functional. The health sector is at breaking point, with limited capacity to treat complex injuries and chronic diseases. Recent attacks forced the evacuation of Kamal Adwan Hospital, leaving Al-Awda Hospital as the sole operational facility in northern Gaza, now also at risk of closure.
Israel defended its actions, accusing Hamas of using hospitals as shields for military operations. The Israeli representative claimed that Kamal Adwan Hospital had been exploited by Hamas to store weapons and launch attacks, justifying recent raids as necessary. However, speakers from multiple countries, including Egypt, Algeria, and China, contested these claims, calling for accountability and the protection of healthcare facilities.
The Permanent Observer for Palestine condemned the attacks, citing Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, a physician at Kamal Adwan Hospital, who reportedly lost his son during an Israeli raid. “Palestinian doctors risk their lives to save others. Do not abandon them,” he pleaded, urging the Council to act against what he termed genocide.
Delegates from nations such as France, Denmark, and Pakistan emphasised the devastating impact of attacks on Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure. Many accused Israel of using collective punishment and ethnic cleansing against Palestinians. Others, like the United States, acknowledged Hamas’s misuse of civilian infrastructure but stressed Israel’s moral responsibility to prevent civilian casualties.
