A Reminder that Targeting a Hospital is a War Crime
Elise Baker is a senior staff lawyer at the Atlantic Council Strategic Litigation Project, leading efforts on accountability and support for victims of human rights abuses in Syria. She has previously documented systematic attacks on healthcare by the Assad regime with Physicians for Human Rights. Britt Gronemeyer is an assistant director at the same project, focusing on accountability for human rights violations in Iran, Syria, Ukraine, and other countries.
The world’s attention is rightly on securing a ceasefire in Gaza, providing urgent relief to over two million civilians in the enclave. While political and humanitarian actors focus on ending violence and delivering aid, legal experts and human rights advocates must intensify efforts to hold perpetrators accountable.
Over the past two years, Israeli military operations in Gaza have repeatedly violated international law, with frequent reports of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Tens of thousands have lost their lives.
Attacks on Medical Facilities
Among the most serious breaches are hundreds of strikes on healthcare institutions. These attacks are a grave violation of international norms protecting medical services during conflict.
Israeli military action in Gaza over the past two years has obliterated international law, with near-daily reports of war crimes and crimes against humanity, costing tens of thousands of lives.
Accountability for these crimes is essential to prevent further atrocities and uphold justice for the victims.
Author’s summary: Targeting hospitals in conflict zones like Gaza constitutes a war crime, demanding relentless legal accountability amid urgent humanitarian needs.