Health officials in Gaza announced on Saturday that Israeli forces detained the director of a hospital in northern Gaza. The hospital, which the World Health Organization (WHO) stated is now out of service due to an Israeli raid, played a critical role in the region.
“The occupation forces have detained dozens of medical staff from Kamal Adwan Hospital, including the director, Hossam Abu Safiyeh, taking them to a detention center for questioning,” the health ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza said.
The Gaza civil defense agency confirmed the detention of Abu Safiyeh, adding that Ahmed Hassan al-Kahlout, the agency’s northern director, was also among those held.
“The occupation has completely dismantled the medical, humanitarian, and civil defense systems in the north, making them ineffective,” said Mahmud Bassal, spokesperson for the civil defense agency, in a statement to AFP.
On Friday, the Israeli military launched an operation at Kamal Adwan Hospital, claiming it was used as a “key base for terrorist groups.” However, Hamas denied these allegations, stating that its militants were not present at the facility and accusing Israeli forces of storming the hospital.
The World Health Organization also weighed in, confirming that the operation caused severe damage. “The raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital has forced the last major health facility in north Gaza to cease operations. Reports suggest several key departments were heavily burnt and destroyed,” the WHO said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter).
