The Israeli military bombed the Palestine-Turkey Friendship Hospital in northern Gaza, claiming it was being used by Hamas as a “military command center.”

The Israeli military conducted airstrikes on the Palestine-Turkey Friendship Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip, alleging that it was being used for military purposes by Hamas. An army statement claimed that the hospital in the north of Gaza was being used by Hamas as a “military command center.”

The statement alleged that the Israeli military was targeted from this location, with the hospital being “rendered inoperative.” Local sources confirmed that the hospital and the adjacent Islamic University Medical Faculty were destroyed. Israeli Military Base Used As a Hospital During the Israeli army’s ground invasion of Gaza following October 7, 2023, it was revealed that the hospital was being used by Israel for military purposes. While the Israeli military occupied the hospital located on the Netzarim Corridor dividing the Gaza Strip north-south, numerous military vehicles were stationed inside and around the hospital. The footage of Israeli soldiers destroying medical equipment inside the hospital shared on social media sparked outrage.

Consisting of 8 Blocks The Palestine-Turkey Friendship Hospital, built by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) in the Gaza Strip between 2011-2017, occupied a total of 33,400 square meters of closed space with 8 interconnected blocks, 4 operating rooms, intensive care units, laboratories, and 180 rooms. Despite the ceasefire that came into effect on January 19 between Israel and Hamas, the hospital suffered significant damage to its equipment during the 15-month Israeli attacks. According to data released by the World Health Organization, out of the 36 hospitals in Gaza, only 18 are able to operate in the face of Israeli military attacks. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed concern in a report about Israel’s systematic attacks on the health system in Gaza, highlighting that 136 bombings took place on 27 hospitals and 12 health centers in less than a year.