On Thursday morning, Israel’s Soroka Hospital in Beersheba was hit by Iranian missiles, sustaining “extensive damage”.
Israeli officials understandably condemned the attack. But they appeared to be shocked – as if they had not seen a hospital being struck in the past two years when, in fact, Israel had struck all of Gaza’s hospitals, sustaining complete or partial damage.
The healthcare system in the Palestinian enclave is collapsing, with more deaths and injuries mounting every day. As things stand, at least 55,700 people have been killed and 130,100 wounded since October 7, 2023.
Israel’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sharren Haskel, called for “the world to speak out” about Iran’s attack. “Deliberate. Criminal. Civilian target,” she said.
She is right. It was, after all, a civilian target.
But Israel did not hold itself to the same standard when it struck Al Shifa hospital in April last year, Al Ahli Arab hospital in April this year, the European hospital in May and Al Nasser hospital in February 2024, to name a few examples. On every occasion, it claimed to have evidence that the facilities were being used by Hamas or other armed groups in Gaza.
So, what would happen if Iran did the same – claiming that the Soroka hospital was housing people who posed a threat to it? Would that be considered enough to justify its attack? Would the West suddenly support Iran’s “right to defend itself”, regardless of how it does it?
All hospitals are protected under international humanitarian law and should never be attacked. The wounded and the sick inside the facilities, as well as their medical staff, employees and ambulances all fall under protected status.
From Sudan to Palestine and Israel – everybody should be held to the same standard under IHL and be guided by the collective global moral compass that bans harm to civilians, keeps hospitals out of harm’s way and restricts war to within the confines of international law.
Unfortunately, however, that is not how Israel has taught the world it could be done.
