A Reminder that Targeting a Hospital is a War Crime

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 violations in Syria. She has previously documented the Assad regime’s systematic attacks on healthcare in Syria with Physicians for Human Rights. Britt Gronemeyer, assistant director at the same project, supports accountability for violations in Iran, Syria, Ukraine, and other countries.

The world’s attention is rightly focused on the ceasefire taking hold across Gaza, bringing urgent relief to over two million civilians in the enclave. While mediators, politicians, and humanitarian workers concentrate on securing a lasting ceasefire and delivering humanitarian aid, legal experts and human rights activists should intensify efforts toward accountability.

Israeli military operations in Gaza over the past two years have repeatedly violated international law, with near-daily allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths. Notably, Israeli strikes have targeted medical facilities, with attacks numbering in the hundreds.

“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.”

These assaults on healthcare infrastructure are among the gravest breaches and highlight the urgent need for international legal accountability.

Author's Summary

The ongoing strikes on medical facilities in Gaza constitute serious war crimes, demanding intensified global efforts to hold perpetrators accountable amid urgent ceasefire talks.

more

Opinio Juris Opinio Juris — 2025-11-05

More News