PALESTINIAN medics and rights advocates have denounced the killing of a top medical official in Gaza by the Israeli military, accusing Israel of systematically targeting the health system in the besieged enclave.
Israel bombed a clinic in Gaza City late on Sunday, killing Hani al-Jaafarawi, Gaza’s director of ambulances and emergency, and four other people.
The targeted clinic, which offered general health, paediatric and dental services, was also put out of commission by the Israeli attack.
“The Israeli war jets bombed the clinic and destroyed its rooms completely,” said Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent Ismail Algoul, reporting from Gaza City.
“The blood of the people who were targeted is still on the floor, while now, thousands of patients are in danger after the clinic lost all of its facilities as a result of the Israeli raid.”
Eyad Zaqout, director of the emergency department at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir el-Balah, told Al Jazeera on Monday that by killing al-Jaafarawi, Israel removed “a pillar” from the territory’s collapsing health system.
“It is clear that the Israeli forces are trying once again to destroy the health and medical system in Gaza completely,” Zaqout said.
“Hani al-Jaafarawi was a pillar for Gaza’s health system. He was working hard for [and] serving the sick and the wounded people. He was serving day and night to serve those who are living in very difficult circumstances in Gaza.”
Gaza’s Ministry of Health also eulogised al-Jaafarawi as a role model in his dedication and commitment to medical duty as well as to helping sick and wounded Palestinians despite the enormous challenges posed by the Israeli offensive.
“The Health Ministry renews its demands for the international community and global organisations to end the heinous Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip and protect the health system and its workers,” the ministry said in a statement.
It said that 500 health workers have been killed by Israel and 310 others have been detained since the start of the war on Gaza in October.
The Israeli military said on Monday that its attack was on a “Hamas weapons production headquarters” and killed a top Hamas official responsible for developing the group’s fighting capabilities.
For its part, the United States said the conflicting reports around the attack make it “very hard to get at the bottom-line truth”.
“Obviously, militants should not hide behind civilians – that’s been the case from the beginning. And Israel needs to take all precautions to minimise civilian harm,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Monday.