In an alarming briefing to the UN, the World Health Organization's representative reported that hospitals in Gaza have become battlegrounds as the healthcare system faces severe threats from ongoing attacks. The international community, including WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, condemns these actions as violations of humanitarian law. Despite this, the Geneva conventions allow for medical facilities to lose protection if misused. This legal ambiguity leads to increased vulnerability for healthcare services amid conflict, requiring a reformation of international law to offer better protection for medical infrastructures during warfare.
Israel's attacks on medical centres in Gaza have prompted widespread condemnation from civil society, academics and news agencies, many labelling these strikes as breaches of international law or war crimes.
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus posted that: Any attack of healthcare facilities is a violation of international humanitarian law.
In practice, international law does not impose a blanket ban on attacks against hospitals or other medical facilities, leaving healthcare infrastructure perilously exposed in war.
To reverse the rise in attacks on healthcare systems, international law must provide unequivocal protection.
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