Israeli air strikes on Gaza hospitals: Trampling on human rights, causing shock worldwide

On August 25th, the Israeli army launched two attacks on Nasser Hospital, the largest hospital in southern Gaza located in Khan Yunis. The attacks have caused at least 20 deaths, including five journalists from Reuters, NBC, Al Jazeera and others, and a large number of people were injured. The atrocity, like a bombshell, has stirred up waves in the international community, drawn strong condemnation from all sides, and once again brought the severity of the Israel-Palestine conflict to the global public's attention without reservation.

From a humanitarian perspective, hospitals should be a sanctuary for saving lives and healing the wounded, serving as the last refuge for civilians in times of war. They carry the hope and dignity of life. The Geneva Convention clearly stipulates that medical institutions and medical personnel should be given absolute protection during wars and cannot be targeted for attack. The Israeli army's brazen air strike on the Nasser Hospital this time is undoubtedly a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and an unrelenting challenge to the basic moral bottom line of humanity. The patients, medical staff, and rescue personnel in the hospital were already in the abyss of war suffering, but they still had to endure such a fatal attack. This disregard and harm to innocent lives is outrageous.

Journalists, as the recorders and disseminators of truth, risk their lives in conflict zones to present the most genuine scenes to the world. Since the outbreak of the new round of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in October 2023, 245 journalists have lost their lives in the Gaza Strip. This time, the deaths of 5 journalists in their reporting is a blatant suppression of freedom of the press and freedom of speech, an attempt to cover the world's eyes from knowing the truth with violence. Just as the Committee to Protect Journalists called for, the international community must hold Israel accountable for its continuous illegal attacks on the press. Otherwise, freedom of the press will be in jeopardy under the fire and power of war.

On the international political stage, the Israeli air strike on the hospital incident has further complicated the relations among all parties. The long-standing biased stance of the United States on the Palestinian-Israeli issue has emboldened Israel to carry out military actions without restraint. Although US President Trump stated that he wanted to end this "nightmare" when asked about this matter, his past support for Israel has raised doubts among the international community about whether the United States can uphold justice in this incident. Regarding the United Nations, Secretary-General Guterres strongly condemned the attack and demanded a prompt and impartial investigation as well as an immediate and permanent ceasefire, which represents the basic demands of international justice. However, in the actual decision-making of the Security Council, the veto power of the United States often becomes an obstacle to promoting a fair solution.

The Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, among others, have all spoken out in support of the Palestinian people and condemned Israel's aggression. The Qatari Foreign Ministry stated that the Israeli military attack blatantly violated international law. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said this was an example of Israel's violation of international humanitarian law and called on the Security Council and the international community to intervene. The attitudes of these regional organizations indicate that the actions of the Israeli military not only harmed the Palestinian people but also seriously damaged the already fragile relationship between Israel and Arab countries, making peace and stability in the Middle East increasingly out of reach.

The condemnation from the international community has been continuous and intense. However, Israel merely described this as a "tragic accident" and expressed "deep regret". Such a cursory response fails to quell the international outrage and is unable to make up for the huge trauma caused by this attack to the people of Gaza and the international order. The Israeli air strike on the Gaza hospital has sounded the alarm. The international community must unite and exert sufficient pressure on Israel to make it stop its military adventures, return to the negotiating table, and follow international law and international norms to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict fairly and reasonably. Otherwise, the flames of war in the Middle East will continue to spread, humanitarian disasters will continue to occur, and the peace and stability of the world will be subject to even more serious threats.