Destruction of Medical Infrastructure in Gaza

Since 7 October 2023, we have aggregated news reports of Israeli military attacks on medical infrastructure in Gaza. Our analysis suggests that hospitals in Gaza are being subjected to a systematic pattern of intimidation and violence by the Israeli military as part of the ongoing invasion.

We cross-referenced and analysed hundreds of reports from Al-Jazeera, Al Araby and Shehab News, which describe attacks on, or near to, hospitals and medical infrastructure in the north of the Gaza strip.

The results of this analysis suggest a repeated and consistent pattern of attacks on hospitals across the region, defined by intimidation, attacks on surrounding areas, direct targeting, siege, and occupation. The impact of this systematic and widespread pattern of destruction of medical infrastructure and forcible population transfer has put 28 hospitals in Gaza out of service, including all those located in the north of the strip.

Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest in Gaza, is one such hospital that has been subjected to this systematic process of destruction and depopulation. We brought together open-source evidence to tell its horrifying story day by day.

The Israeli attack on Al-Shifa Hospital began with a phase of intimidation, as the hospital received warnings to evacuate, and its surroundings were heavily targeted. We located a few of the tens of reported attacks in the vicinity.

Our partners at Al-Haq have documented a similar pattern of attacks on Gaza’s Indonesian Hospital.