Latest from Days of Palestine
Days of Palestine
20 hours ago
- Health
- Days of Palestine
Israeli leaders decry hospital strike as ‘immoral,' despite turning Gaza's hospitals into graveyards
DaysofPal – Tel Aviv's outrage over a missile strike near Soroka Hospital in southern Israel has drawn widespread criticism and accusations of hypocrisy, as Israel continues its systematic destruction of Gaza's hospitals in a war that has lasted over 21 months. Condemnation of Iran, accusations of 'war crime' On Thursday, Israel accused Iran of launching a direct missile strike on Soroka Hospital in Beersheba, calling it a 'terrorist crime' and a blatant war crime. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Tehran had targeted 'civilian residents in the heart of Israel,' while Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the attack was 'a war crime' and vowed retaliation. Israeli Sports Minister Miki Zohar described the attackers as 'the most despicable people on earth,' accusing Iran of crossing moral boundaries by targeting a hospital. 'Only the scum of the earth and cowards launch missiles at children lying in hospitals,' he wrote. Iran denies, says strike targeted military base near hospital Iran quickly denied the Israeli narrative, clarifying that its missile targeted a military intelligence headquarters adjacent to the hospital, not the hospital itself. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that the strike hit its intended target 'precisely and accurately,' and Iranian state media noted that Soroka Hospital suffered collateral damage from the explosion's blast wave. Some reports on Iranian and independent media suggested that a secret military command center was operating beneath the hospital, possibly storing weapons or hazardous materials previously relocated from targeted Israeli bases. Israel Quiet on Its Own Hospital Bombings in Gaza and Iran Critics have been quick to highlight Israel's silence, or justification, when it comes to its own documented record of hospital bombings in Gaza and, more recently, in Iran. On Monday, Iranian outlets reported that Israeli warplanes struck Al-Farabi Hospital in Kermanshah, and the Hakim Children's Hospital in Tehran was reportedly hit just days earlier. The Iranian Ministry of Health has confirmed these attacks. But the contrast is most stark in Gaza. Israel has rendered dozens of hospitals in Gaza inoperable. Since October 7, 2023, Israel's military has bombed, besieged, and destroyed hospitals across Gaza as part of what Palestinians and international observers have increasingly called a genocide. Among the most heavily hit: – Al-Shifa Medical Complex: Gaza's largest hospital was raided, bombed, and rendered non-functional. More than 300 bodies were found after Israeli forces withdrew in March 2024. – Nasser Medical Complex: Repeatedly targeted, including the assassination of Dr. Ismail Barhoum. Now lies in ruins. – Al-Ahli Arab Hospital (Baptist Hospital): Bombed on October 17, 2023, killing 500 patients and displaced people. – Kamal Adwan Hospital: Stormed in December 2024. Staff were ordered to strip at gunpoint. – Al-Amal Hospital: Forced evacuations and closures under Israeli military pressure. – Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital: The Strip's only cancer center, bombed into total closure. – Al-Rantisi Children's Hospital: Its dialysis unit was destroyed, resulting in the death of pediatric patients. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently confirmed that at least 94% of Gaza's hospitals have been damaged or destroyed, with only 19 of 36 partially operational, and even those teetering on collapse due to fuel shortages, lack of staff, and unrelenting attacks. The Gaza Health Ministry has warned that the remaining hospitals may be forced to shut down within days due to Israel's blockade on fuel deliveries, despite these facilities relying entirely on generators. International and UN agencies have reportedly been denied access to hospital fuel depots, now labeled 'red zones' by the Israeli army. Essential lifelines in Gaza are collapsing, according to UNRWA and OCHA, as water is drying up, ambulances are immobilized, and almost half of all vital medical supplies are running low. Backlash on social media: 'hypocrisy on full display' The Israeli government's condemnation of the Soroka incident sparked widespread criticism online, where users accused it of staggering hypocrisy. 'If this is a war crime, then Israel is the greatest war criminal alive,' one user wrote. 'You can't spend a year bombing hospitals and then cry foul when it happens to you.' Palestinian journalist Hamza Yusuf mocked Western media's double standard: 'No 'health officials say'?' ' No 'according to locals'? No 'Likud-run health ministry claims'? Interesting.' Irish journalist Barry Malone added, 'The difference in reporting on hospitals being hit in Israel versus Gaza should be studied in journalism schools. The bias is that blatant.' Others argued that Israel had 'normalized' the bombing of hospitals through its own actions in Gaza, paving the way for such attacks to become militarily and diplomatically tolerated—until it happens to them. A Pattern of Impunity While Tel Aviv invokes international law to decry attacks on its territory, its own track record suggests a pattern of impunity. For nearly two years, hospitals in Gaza have been turned into graveyards under Israeli fire. And as the war spreads into regional theaters, critics say Israel can no longer pretend to be both an aggressor and a victim. Shortlink for this post:
Days of Palestine
a day ago
- Health
- Days of Palestine
Warnings of Imminent Deaths Among Premature Infants as Formula Supplies Run Out in Gaza
DaysofPal – Dr. Ahmad Al-Farra, Head of Pediatrics and Maternity at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, has issued a dire warning: infant formula has not entered the Gaza Strip in over four months—neither through the healthcare system, the private sector, nor international organizations—resulting in a total depletion of critical supplies. In a press statement, Dr. Al-Farra revealed that 25 infants are currently in the neonatal unit at Nasser Medical Complex, all of whom are suffering due to the absence of types 1 and 2 formula, along with specialized formulas needed for premature babies. 'We have reached zero hour,' he said. 'Without immediate intervention, the lives of premature and newborn children are at risk in the next 48 hours.' He called on all relevant authorities and humanitarian bodies to exert pressure on the Israeli authorities to allow infant formula into Gaza immediately. UNICEF has also sounded the alarm, noting that children undergoing treatment for malnutrition are now in grave danger. Since March 18, 2025, 21 nutrition treatment centers—15% of Gaza's outpatient facilities—have been shut down due to Israeli evacuation orders or direct bombardment. This closure has left about 350 children without access to essential nutritional treatment, placing their lives at imminent risk of worsening malnutrition. UNICEF further warned that supplementary infant foods, crucial for child development amid food shortages, have been entirely depleted in central and southern Gaza. Only enough ready-to-use infant formula remains to support 400 children for one month. The agency estimates that nearly 10,000 infants under six months old require supplementary feeding. With no access to formula, many families are forced to resort to unsafe substitutes mixed with contaminated water, compounding the health risks. Due to the ongoing war, genocide, and mass displacement, UNICEF has also been forced to scale back mental health services, psychosocial support, mine risk education, and child protection case management. According to Gaza's Government Media Office, Israel is deliberately committing mass starvation by maintaining a total blockade of Gaza's border crossings. Over the past two months, no humanitarian aid has been allowed in, with more than 18,600 aid trucks and 1,550 fuel trucks blocked, and over 60 food kitchens and aid distribution centers bombed. The unfolding crisis threatens to result in preventable deaths of infants and children in the coming hours and days unless immediate humanitarian access is restored. Shortlink for this post:
Days of Palestine
a day ago
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
Israeli High Court Orders Eviction of Two Palestinian Families in Silwan
DayofPal– Israel's High Court issued a ruling on Wednesday ordering the eviction of two Palestinian families, Shweiki and Odeh, from their homes in the Batan Al-Hawa neighborhood of Silwan, located just south of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The families have been given 30 days to vacate the properties, which are targeted by Israeli settler organizations seeking to expand control over Palestinian homes in the area. Among those facing eviction is 79-year-old Asmahan Shweiki, a lifelong resident of Silwan. Shweiki has endured decades of hardship under Israeli occupation, having lost two of her sons to Israeli gunfire, her son Zahri was killed in 1990 in the Al-Muraghah area of Silwan, and her other son, Nizar, was killed in 2000 inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Her husband also passed away in recent years. According to the Wadi Hilweh Information Center, the eviction order was originally issued in 2020 but was frozen by the Israeli attorney general. Recently, however, the case was abruptly reopened and assigned to a judge known for his far-right ideological leanings, who issued the eviction ruling without hearing full legal arguments from the families' defense. Batan Al-Hawa is among the most heavily targeted neighborhoods in occupied East Jerusalem, where settler organizations, with direct backing from Israeli authorities, have intensified efforts to take over Palestinian properties. These moves are part of a broader policy of forced displacement and demographic engineering in the Holy City. The latest court decision follows a series of settler-related developments in the area. Last month, the Israeli-run Jerusalem municipality announced the near completion of a new sports complex in the Ma'ale HaZeitim settlement, built on confiscated land in the Ras al-Amud area of Silwan. The complex, expected to officially open in 2026, is described as a 'safe and comfortable space for young settlers living in the heart of Arab neighborhoods,' a move widely seen as an effort to normalize settler presence in East Jerusalem. Ma'ale HaZeitim was first established in 1997 under then-mayor Ehud Olmert, following the seizure of land owned by the Palestinian Ghoul family. Since then, dozens of Jewish families have moved into homes taken from Palestinians, entrenching the settlement's foothold in the area. Additionally, on Wednesday, the municipality inaugurated a new public park on land belonging to Silwan residents, naming it 'Moshe Arens Park' after a former Israeli defense and foreign minister with ties to the pre-state Irgun militia, notorious for its role in violent attacks against Palestinians during the 1948 Nakba. This park is the ninth of its kind established on Palestinian land since October 7, 2023, as part of a broader effort to Judaize Jerusalem and encircle the Al-Aqsa Mosque with settler and municipal projects. Local and international rights organizations have condemned these measures as part of an ongoing strategy of displacement, annexation, and settlement expansion, which violate international law and threaten the fabric of Palestinian life in Jerusalem. Shortlink for this post:
Days of Palestine
a day ago
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
Spain Calls for Arms Embargo on Israel, Renews Push for Iran Diplomacy
DaysofPal – Spain has taken a bold diplomatic stance, calling for a complete arms embargo on Israel for the duration of the war in Gaza, while urging the international community to revive negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program. In an interview with Bloomberg, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares emphasized the European Union's responsibility, noting: 'We, the European Union, are Israel's largest trading partner worldwide. We Europeans must impose an arms export ban and not sell weapons to Israel as long as this war continues.' Albares urged the EU to mirror its strong stance taken in response to the war in Ukraine, where coordinated sanctions and arms bans were swiftly implemented. 'The EU must act with the same resolve to advance peace efforts in the Middle East,' he added. The minister also voiced concern over rising tensions between Israel and Iran, expressing regret over the absence of any meaningful de-escalation and reiterating the importance of resuming dialogue over Iran's nuclear program, which has stalled amid growing regional instability. This comes on the heels of the Spanish Parliament's May 2025 vote to advance legislation aimed at banning arms trade with Israel, and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's call for the EU to suspend its association agreement with Israel and implement a comprehensive arms embargo. Spain's firm position reflects growing unease within parts of Europe over continued Israeli military aggression in Gaza, and the need for a principled, unified EU response to uphold international law and human rights. Shortlink for this post:
Days of Palestine
a day ago
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
IOF Kills 16 Civilians in New Massacre Targeting Starving Palestinians in Gaza
DaysofPal – In the early hours of Thursday, Israeli occupation forces (IOF) committed yet another massacre, targeting starving civilians gathered near the Netzarim checkpoint in the central Gaza Strip, where they had assembled to receive desperately needed humanitarian aid. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli drones and military vehicles opened fire on the crowd near the Gaza Bridge and Salah al-Din Street, striking unarmed Palestinians waiting for food assistance in a zone that has repeatedly witnessed bloodshed. Medical sources confirmed that 16 civilians were killed and more than 100 others injured in the attack, which comes amid an escalating humanitarian catastrophe. Gaza's healthcare system remains in a state of collapse, unable to cope with the rising number of casualties due to severe shortages in medical supplies, fuel, and personnel. This attack follows a similar incident just one day earlier, on Wednesday, when 11 civilians were killed and over 70 wounded in the same area, under identical circumstances, waiting for aid near the Netzarim corridor. Since May 27, Palestinians have been repeatedly targeted by live fire while attempting to access food at distribution points tied to a U.S.-Israeli aid project. This controversial effort has drawn condemnation from the United Nations and numerous international human rights organizations, who warn that it is being used as a tool of control and displacement, rather than a genuine humanitarian lifeline. The repeated assaults on food lines have led to the emergence of a tragic term in Gaza: 'Breadline Martyrs.' As of today, hospitals have recorded nearly 400 Palestinians killed and over 3,000 injured while seeking aid since May 27 — a grim reflection of the desperation and systematic targeting of civilians in a territory already brought to its knees by siege, bombardment, and famine. Israel's ongoing bombardment of the Gaza Strip continues to exact a heavy civilian toll, with daily airstrikes and attacks on aid seekers further exacerbating what health experts and legal scholars are calling a deliberate campaign of starvation and collective punishment. Shortlink for this post:
