Tessa Quinn
The conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in numerous attacks on hospitals in Gaza, with both sides blaming each other for the attacks. Israel has repeatedly targeted hospitals in Gaza, with sources confirming that Israeli forces have bombed and burned at least 36 hospitals since the start of the war. These attacks have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people, including medical staff, and the destruction of vital healthcare infrastructure. On the other hand, Hamas has been accused of using hospitals as military bases and shielding their militant activities by operating from within civilian infrastructure. The Israeli military has provided evidence of secret tunnels and command centres used by Hamas underneath hospitals, which they claim justifies their targeting of these locations. The ongoing conflict has led to a humanitarian crisis, with both sides accused of disregarding civilian lives and obstructing the provision of humanitarian aid.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Hamas bombing hospitals | Hamas has been accused of bombing hospitals in Gaza, including Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, also known as Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital. However, Hamas denied the allegations and blamed Israel for the explosions. |
| Israel bombing hospitals | There are several instances of Israel bombing hospitals in Gaza, including Nasser Hospital, Al-Shifa Hospital, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani Hospital, Al-Aqsa Hospital, Kamal Adwan Hospital, Indonesia Hospital, and European Gaza Hospital. |
| Use of tunnels | Hamas has been known to use tunnels underneath hospitals in Gaza, such as Al-Shifa Hospital and the European Gaza Hospital, as a hiding place and for military operations. Israel has targeted these tunnels in its strikes. |
| Civilian impact | Both sides have been accused of disregarding civilian life and causing casualties. Israel's strikes have resulted in the death and injury of civilians, while Hamas's use of tunnels and storage of weapons in hospitals have put civilians at risk. |
| Humanitarian aid | Israel has been criticized for obstructing humanitarian aid and evacuations, while Hamas has been accused of intercepting aid meant for Gaza residents. |
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What You'll Learn
- Israel claims Hamas used hospitals for military operations
- Israel bombed the Gaza European Hospital, killing Hamas leader Muhammed Sinwar
- Israel denied WHO access to hospitals to assess patients and arrange evacuations
- Hamas militants were found to be operating in tunnels under hospitals
- Hospitals in Gaza were repeatedly targeted by Israeli forces
Israel claims Hamas used hospitals for military operations
Israel has claimed that Hamas has used hospitals for military operations, including Nasser Hospital, Al-Shifa Hospital, and the European Gaza Hospital. These claims have been refuted by Hamas, hospital administrators, humanitarian groups, and journalists.
During the Gaza War, Israel and the United States alleged that Hamas was using Al-Shifa Hospital, a government-run hospital in Gaza City, as its "main operations base." However, Amnesty International and multiple news agencies, including the BBC, The Independent, and CNN, stated that they found no credible evidence to support these claims. Analysis from The Washington Post also concluded that there was "no immediate evidence of military use by Hamas" in the rooms connected to the tunnel network.
Similarly, Israel claimed that Hamas used Nasser Hospital for military operations and to hold the bodies of two Israeli hostages. These claims were disputed by humanitarian groups, such as Doctors Without Borders, who criticized Israel's conduct during the incursion.
In the case of the European Gaza Hospital, Israel asserted that Hamas had dug tunnels underneath the hospital, endangering civilians and breaking international law. Israel escorted journalists on a controlled tour of the tunnel, aiming to prove that Hamas was using civilian infrastructure as a shield for militant activity. However, Palestinians viewed Israel's attack on the hospital compound as a disregard for civilian life.
The allegations of Hamas using hospitals for military purposes have been part of a broader narrative of obfuscation and unsubstantiated allegations by Israel, according to some sources. Israel has been accused of misrepresenting circumstances and omitting essential facts in its accounts of assaults on hospitals in Gaza. There have also been claims of Israel engaging in public relations campaigns to justify its actions, including the release of questionable or staged evidence.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in significant destruction and casualties, with Israel's strikes and Hamas's booby-traps causing extensive damage to buildings and infrastructure in Gaza. The targeting of hospitals and medical facilities by both sides has raised questions about potential war crimes and the breach of international humanitarian law, which prohibits the targeting of hospitals unless there is evidence of military use that is "harmful to the enemy."
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Israel bombed the Gaza European Hospital, killing Hamas leader Muhammed Sinwar
The conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in numerous attacks on hospitals in Gaza. Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of using hospitals as military bases and human shields, while humanitarian groups and media outlets have accused Israel of obfuscation and disregarding civilian life.
On May 13, 2025, the Israel Defense Forces carried out a coordinated bombing of the European Hospital in Gaza, also known as the Gaza European Hospital. The bombing killed 28 people, including Hamas leader Muhammed Sinwar, who was the target of the strike, according to Israeli and local media reports. Three Israeli officials, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the strike aimed to kill Sinwar, one of Hamas's top leaders in the enclave.
The European Hospital in Gaza was reportedly used by Hamas as a command and control center, with a tunnel system and underground infrastructure. Israel claimed that it tried to minimize damage to the hospital by striking the area around its buildings and not the medical facilities themselves. However, the bombing caused material damage and terrified doctors and patients within the compound.
Smoke billowed around the hospital after the bombardment, and it was unclear whether the hospital buildings had been damaged. The health ministry in Gaza reported that at least six people were killed and at least 40 others were wounded in the strike. This incident occurred on the eve of US-led ceasefire talks and highlighted the ongoing dynamics of the war in Gaza, where both sides accused each other of endangering civilians and disregarding civilian life.
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Israel denied WHO access to hospitals to assess patients and arrange evacuations
During the 2023 Gaza War, Israel ordered the evacuation of 22 hospitals treating more than 2000 inpatients in northern Gaza. The World Health Organization (WHO) condemned these evacuation orders, stating that the forced evacuation of patients and health workers would worsen the humanitarian crisis and put the lives of critically ill patients at risk.
For two days after the incursion began, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) denied a WHO team access to the hospital to assess patients and arrange evacuations. When the WHO team was finally allowed entry, they reported that the hospital had no electricity or running water, and that medical waste was creating a breeding ground for disease. The WHO and Palestinian Red Crescent then arranged the evacuation of 31 patients at the greatest risk of death.
Israel has been accused of misrepresenting circumstances on the ground and omitting essential facts in its accounts of assaults on hospitals in Gaza. Israel has also been criticized for abandoning obligations to save patients before and during hospital assaults, and for denigrating humanitarian organizations such as the WHO, the ICRC, and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.
On the other hand, Israel has defended its actions by claiming that Hamas uses civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, as a shield for militant activity. For example, Israel asserted that Hamas used Nasser Hospital for military operations and to hold the bodies of Israeli hostages. Israel has also claimed that Hamas stored weapons and took cover at Al-Shifa Hospital, using tunnels underneath the hospital.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in heavy damage to hospitals and healthcare infrastructure in Gaza, with reports of hospitals being bombarded, ambulances being fired upon, and healthcare workers being injured or killed. The intensified military operations have threatened an already weakened health system, with shortages of food, water, medical supplies, fuel, and shelter.
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Hamas militants were found to be operating in tunnels under hospitals
During the Gaza War, Hamas militants were found to be operating in tunnels under hospitals. In late October 2023, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement claiming that Hamas continued to operate beneath Gaza's Shifa Hospital, using patients, doctors, and staff as shields for its underground headquarters. Hamas denied these claims, and hospital administrators requested that the international community send a delegation to verify. However, US intelligence supported Israel's assessment, and captured Hamas militants also confirmed the existence of an extensive underground complex.
Multiple news agencies, including BBC, The Independent, and The Washington Post, found Israel's claims of a Hamas base at Al-Shifa Hospital unconvincing due to a lack of evidence. Amnesty International echoed these sentiments, stating that they had not seen credible evidence to support Israel's allegations. Despite this, a France24 investigation in November 2023 concluded that the images and videos of the tunnels published by the IDF were consistent with Hamas-built tunnels.
In November 2023, Israel released a video of a tunnel found beneath Al-Shifa Hospital, running from the surgery building to a shack. The New York Times created a 3-D model of the tunnel, revealing its extent. Classified Israeli intelligence documents obtained by the Times indicated that the tunnel was at least 700 feet long and likely connected to Hamas's larger underground network. The tunnel was supplied with water, power, and air conditioning, and Hamas used it to store weapons and maintain a bunker.
The discovery of Hamas tunnels under hospitals has been a focal point in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. To Israelis, these tunnels highlight Hamas's abuse of civilians and their disregard for civilian life. They argue that Hamas has endangered civilians by directing military operations from hospitals and using them as shields. However, Palestinians counter that Israel's attacks on hospital compounds demonstrate their own disregard for civilian lives. The conflict has resulted in the destruction of homes and the displacement of residents in southern Gaza.
The presence of Hamas tunnels under hospitals has raised questions about the targeting of medical facilities during the Gaza War. International humanitarian law prohibits the targeting of hospitals unless there is evidence of military purposes or the use of human shields, both of which constitute war crimes. The perception of the media and the international community has been mixed, with some acknowledging the existence of tunnels but criticizing Israel for insufficient evidence and the harm caused to civilians during raids.
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Hospitals in Gaza were repeatedly targeted by Israeli forces
Hospitals in Gaza have been repeatedly targeted by Israeli forces. The Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, also known as the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, was hit by an explosion, killing and injuring many of the Palestinians who had taken refuge there. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) denied responsibility, instead blaming a misfired Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) rocket. However, the World Health Organization was forbidden from accessing the hospital to assess patients and arrange evacuations.
The European Gaza Hospital was also targeted by Israeli forces, with Hamas claiming that six bombs hit the hospital's inner courtyard and surrounding area. Israel claimed that it was targeting a Hamas 'command and control centre' and subsequently released footage of secret tunnels under the hospital. The IDF also claimed that Hamas was using the hospital as a base, a claim that was found to be “unconvincing” by several news outlets. However, The New York Times later verified that Hamas did have a tunnel under the surgery centre.
The Nasser Hospital was assaulted by Israeli ground troops, forcing thousands of displaced people to leave. The IDF claimed that Hamas was using the hospital for military operations and to hold the bodies of Israeli hostages. The Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani Hospital for Rehabilitation and Prosthetics in Gaza was also damaged by Israeli bombardment in 2021 and again in 2025.
The targeting of health facilities, medical personnel, and patients is considered a war crime under the 1949 Geneva Convention. Despite this, Israeli forces have repeatedly attacked hospitals in Gaza, resulting in the deaths and injuries of civilians, patients, and medical staff.
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Frequently asked questions
This is a contentious issue with sources blaming both Hamas and Israel for bombing hospitals.
Hamas has been accused of bombing the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, also known as the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, in Gaza City. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed that Hamas chief Mohammed Sinwar was killed in a strike on the European Hospital in Gaza. The IDF also released footage of secret tunnels used by Hamas under the hospital.
Israel has been accused of bombing the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, also known as the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, in Gaza City. The Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani Hospital for Rehabilitation and Prosthetics in Gaza was also damaged by Israeli bombardment in 2021. Al-Shifa Hospital was also under siege and bombing during the war.
