The Palestinian Health Ministry has reported that Israeli forces detained more than 240 Palestinians, including numerous medical staff and the hospital director, Hussam Abu Safiya, during a raid on a north Gaza hospital on Friday.
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Concerns have been raised for Abu Safiya’s wellbeing, as some staff released on Friday evening claimed he was beaten by soldiers.
The Israeli military stated that the hospital was being used as a command center for Hamas military operations, and those detained were suspected militants. Abu Safiya was taken for questioning, suspected of being a Hamas operative.
Hamas dismissed Israel’s assertion that its fighters operated from the hospital throughout the 15-month-old Gaza conflict. The group has not commented on the 240 arrests.
On Saturday, Hamas called for urgent intervention from the United Nations and international agencies to protect remaining hospitals and supply medical facilities in northern Gaza. They also urged for U.N. observers to debunk Israeli allegations of military use of medical facilities.
The World Health Organization (WHO) expressed shock at the raid, noting that it rendered the last major health facility in the area non-functional, putting the lives of 75,000 Palestinians at risk.
WHO condemned the systematic dismantling of the health system and the over 80-day siege on North Gaza.
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