Ethan Rhodes
The Israel-Palestine conflict has seen numerous attacks on hospitals in Gaza. In April 2025, an Israeli airstrike destroyed parts of Al Ahli Arab Hospital, the last fully functional hospital in Gaza City. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed the hospital was targeted because it contained a command and control centre used by Hamas. However, no casualties were reported, and the IDF stated that they took steps to minimise harm to civilians. In October 2023, there were 51 attacks on health facilities in Gaza, resulting in the deaths of 15 hospital workers and injuries to 27 others. The IDF has been accused of deliberately targeting ambulances and health facilities, with the United Nations concluding that Israel committed genocidal acts by systematically destroying reproductive healthcare facilities. Hospitals and healthcare facilities are protected under international humanitarian law, and attacks on these sites are considered war crimes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of the incident | 13 April 2025 |
| Hospital | Al Ahli Arab Hospital |
| Location | Gaza City |
| Number of casualties | 1 child |
| Number of injured | N/A |
| Reason for bombing | IDF claimed that the hospital contained a "command and control centre used by Hamas" |
| Evidence of the claim | IDF published images of a tunnel shaft and military equipment |
| Other evidence | Al Jazeera published an analysis of the hospital explosion on 19 October |
| Analysis by NYT | A rocket fired from an Israeli position near Nahal Oz exploded over the border |
| Number of attacks on health facilities in Gaza between 7 and 17 October 2023 | 51 |
| Number of hospital workers killed | 15 |
| Number of injured workers | 27 |
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What You'll Learn
Al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion
On 17 October 2023, an explosion took place in a courtyard of Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City during the Gaza war, resulting in a large number of displaced Palestinians being killed or injured. The hospital is owned and run by the Anglican Church and is an 80-bed facility. The World Health Organization indicated that there were 51 attacks on health facilities in Gaza between 7 and 17 October 2023, killing 15 hospital workers and injuring 27 others.
The cause of the explosion is contested. The Palestinian authorities in Gaza immediately blamed Israel, claiming it was a deliberate airstrike. Israel has denied involvement. According to the IDF, the hospital contained a "command and control centre used by Hamas". They also stated that the explosion was caused by a failed rocket launch from within Gaza. However, Al Jazeera published an analysis of the hospital explosion on 19 October, which contradicted the IDF's claim. They constructed a second-by-second timeline by analyzing video footage of the event and found no grounds for the IDF assertion.
The New York Times (NYT) also contradicted the IDF's claim, concluding that the explosion was caused by a rocket fired from an Israeli position near Nahal Oz, which exploded over the border and could not have been connected to the hospital explosion. The NYT analysis noted that while responsibility for the hospital blast is unknown, the available evidence, including video footage, scorch marks, burnt-out cars, and eyewitness accounts, does not support the claim that it was caused by a failed Palestinian rocket launch.
Human Rights Watch stated that the sound preceding the explosion, the fireball that accompanied it, the size of the resulting crater, and the type of fragmentation visible around the crater are all consistent with the impact of a rocket. They also noted that the possibility of a large air-dropped bomb, such as those used extensively by Israel in Gaza, is highly unlikely. The number of persons killed in the explosion has not been independently verified, with estimates ranging from 100 to 471.
The Al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion highlights the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine and the impact it has had on medical facilities and civilians seeking shelter. Hospitals are protected under international humanitarian law, and all parties involved in the conflict must respect and protect these spaces and the medical professionals and civilians within them.
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IDF targeted hospitals
Hospitals are protected under international humanitarian law, and attacks on healthcare facilities and workers are prohibited. However, there have been numerous reports and allegations of the IDF targeting hospitals in Gaza.
On 13 April 2025, an Israeli airstrike destroyed part of the last fully functional hospital in Gaza City, Al Ahli Arab Hospital. The IDF stated that the hospital contained a "command and control centre used by Hamas" and that they had taken steps to "mitigate harm to civilians". However, a child died during the rushed evacuation, and the hospital's building was "completely destroyed", leading to the displacement of patients and staff.
In October 2024, Kamal Adwan's director stated that Israeli tanks had surrounded the hospital, cut off electricity, and shelled the hospital, targeting specific floors. The United Nations stated that a bombing during this incident destroyed critical supplies in the hospital.
On 8 December 2024, the IDF damaged the Yafa hospital in central Gaza with an airstrike. An Israeli shooting at the maternity ward of the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis on 17 December killed a girl and wounded three others.
On 18 November 2023, the Israeli military struck a marked ambulance outside of Gaza City's al-Shifa hospital. The Gaza Health Ministry reported 15 deaths and 60 injuries from this incident. An IDF spokesperson claimed that their forces perceived a threat from terrorists using ambulances. However, Human Rights Watch found no evidence of the ambulance being used for military purposes.
In addition to these incidents, there have been other allegations of the IDF targeting hospitals in Gaza. For example, CNN reviewed evidence from the first two months of the war and observed that hospitals were being bombed, encircled, and shot at by tanks. Imagery analysis revealed munitions fragments, large impact craters, tank shell holes, and tracks from heavily armoured vehicles, indicating the use of high-grade military weaponry by the IDF.
While the IDF has denied conducting targeted attacks against hospitals in Gaza, the evidence and testimonies from multiple sources suggest otherwise. The targeting of hospitals and the resulting harm to patients, staff, and infrastructure have severe consequences for the delivery of healthcare and the protection of civilians under international humanitarian law.
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Hospitals as military bases
Hospitals are protected under international humanitarian law, and warring parties must facilitate the rapid passage of impartial humanitarian aid for civilians in need. However, there have been several instances of hospitals being used as military bases or being targeted in attacks during the Gaza conflict.
Hamas Use of Hospitals
Israel has accused Hamas of using hospitals as military bases and command centres. In April 2025, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) bombed Al Ahli Arab Hospital, the last fully functional hospital in Gaza City, stating that it contained a "command and control centre used by Hamas". While no casualties were reported, a child with a pre-existing head injury died during the rushed evacuation process. The IDF claimed to have taken steps to minimise harm to civilians, including issuing advance warnings. However, the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, which runs the hospital, expressed dismay at the bombing, particularly as it occurred during Holy Week.
The IDF has also alleged that Hamas was using the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahiya, one of the two major hospitals in northern Gaza, as a base. They claimed that Hamas had a tunnel, a rocket launchpad nearby, and was stealing fuel from the hospital. However, these allegations were disputed by the Indonesia-based Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C), a volunteer group that funds the hospital. They stated that the tunnel was used to send fuel to power the hospital's generators.
Israel launched its bombardment and ground invasion of the Gaza Strip after Hamas' October 7, 2023, terrorist attack. During the first two months of the war, at least 17,100 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. Israel claims that Hamas operates inside hospitals, using them for military operations, including as command centres, weapons storage, and to hide hostages. While Israel has released footage as evidence, it has been deemed inconclusive, and Hamas has denied the accusations.
IDF Attacks on Hospitals
The IDF has been accused of targeting hospitals and ambulances during the conflict. In October 2024, Kamal Adwan's director stated that Israeli tanks had surrounded the hospital, cut off electricity, and shelled it, targeting specific floors. The United Nations stated that a bombing destroyed critical supplies in the hospital following an Israeli siege. On December 17, 2024, an Israeli shooting at the maternity ward of the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis killed a girl and wounded three others.
On November 3, 2023, the Israeli military struck a marked ambulance outside of Gaza City's al-Shifa hospital, resulting in at least 15 deaths and 60 injuries, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The IDF justified the strike by claiming that terrorists were using ambulances, but Human Rights Watch found no evidence to support this.
Additionally, in October 2023, the IDF shelled the Meiss Ej Jabal Hospital, injuring a doctor. The Lebanese Health Ministry strongly condemned the attack and called for an investigation. The IDF has also been accused of targeting ambulances and health facilities with airstrikes, contributing to the destruction of healthcare facilities in Gaza.
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Human Rights Watch statements
Human Rights Watch has made several statements regarding the bombing of hospitals in Gaza. They have stated that the Israeli government has provided no evidence that would justify stripping hospitals of their special protections. They have also said that the Israeli military has repeatedly struck hospitals and their vicinities in Gaza, worsening the health crisis in the region.
Human Rights Watch has documented and verified footage and photographs of Israeli strikes on ambulances and hospitals in Gaza. For example, on November 3, 2023, the Israeli military struck an ambulance outside of Gaza City's al-Shifa hospital, resulting in at least 15 deaths and 60 injuries, including women and children. They have also documented attacks on the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahiya, one of the two major hospitals in northern Gaza, where an airstrike killed two men and injured five others.
In addition, Human Rights Watch has noted that the Israeli government's blockade of Gaza, which prevents civilians' access to essential items such as water, food, and medicine, amounts to collective punishment and is a war crime. They have also stated that Israel has committed genocidal acts in Gaza by systematically destroying its reproductive healthcare facilities, breaking medical neutrality, which is protected under international humanitarian law.
Regarding the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion, Human Rights Watch noted that the death-to-injury ratio reported by the Gaza Health Ministry, if true, would be unusually high and out of proportion with the damage observed at the explosion site. They also stated that Israel and Palestinian armed groups have both failed to impartially and credibly investigate violations of international humanitarian law.
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International reactions
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has also voiced its condemnation, emphasizing that even war has rules. The IFRC expressed shock and dismay at the loss of life, stating that hospitals should serve as sanctuaries for all. China has similarly expressed deep shock and condemnation, calling for an immediate ceasefire and an end to hostilities to prevent further escalation and a potential humanitarian crisis.
The UAE, Bahrain, and Turkey have also denounced the attacks, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan describing them as "devoid of the most basic human values." The African Union Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki, went further, denouncing the attack as a "war crime."
However, the US Department of State spokesperson, Matthew Miller, indicated that an international investigation was not appropriate, given Israel's provision of evidence to support its claims, while Hamas had provided none. Meanwhile, the Lebanese Health Ministry has also condemned the attack on the Meiss Ej Jabal Hospital, holding Israeli authorities responsible for the unjustifiable act.
Media outlets have also played a role in the international reaction, with Al Jazeera publishing an analysis of the hospital explosion and the BBC covering the story, including interviews with those impacted.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) bombed the Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, which was the last fully functional hospital in the city. The IDF said it targeted the hospital because it contained a "command and control centre used by Hamas".
No casualties were reported, according to Gaza's civil emergency service. However, one child, who had previously suffered a head injury, died as a result of "the rushed evacuation process".
The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, part of the Anglican Church, which runs the hospital, said it was "appalled" at the bombing. The World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the hospital was out of service following the evacuation order and attack.
