PMA condemns Israeli attack on Gaza Hospital, urges urgent global intervention

KARACHI: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has issued a strong condemnation of the recent Israeli airstrike on Al-Ahli Arab Baptist Hospital in Gaza, denouncing it as a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and a direct assault on the right to health and medical neutrality.

The Israeli strike on Gaza hospital, which reportedly caused severe damage to the surgery building and oxygen generation station, has crippled essential healthcare services in the region. The PMA highlighted that nearly one million Palestinians are now left without emergency medical care and ambulance services amid an escalating humanitarian crisis.

Describing the incident as a "war crime", the PMA stated that the deliberate targeting of medical facilities — which are protected under international law — is not only ethically reprehensible but also endangers the lives of patients, doctors, and other frontline healthcare workers.

“This attack represents an assault on humanity itself,” the PMA said in its official statement. “Health facilities must never be a target in armed conflict.”

The PMA called on the United Nations (UN), the World Health Organization (WHO), and international human rights NGOs to take immediate and concrete steps, including:

• Issuing formal condemnations of the hospital strike
• Ensuring the protection of healthcare workers and facilities in Gaza
• Holding Israel accountable under international humanitarian law
• Facilitating swift delivery of medical supplies, fuel, and aid to the Gaza Strip
• Advocating for a cessation of hostilities to prevent further destruction and civilian casualties

The PMA reaffirmed its unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people and praised the extraordinary courage of healthcare professionals in Gaza who continue to serve under life-threatening conditions.

The association also appealed to the global community to uphold its moral and legal responsibility to protect civilians and healthcare systems in conflict zones, urging an end to the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza.