THE African Union has issued a resounding condemnation of the Israeli airstrike that struck Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza, leading to the tragic loss of over 500 lives. The attack, occurring on the eleventh day of the ongoing conflict, has sparked a growing international chorus of concern regarding the Israeli bombing campaign in the besieged Gaza Strip.
African Union Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat expressed his profound dismay, stating, ‘There are no words to fully express our condemnation of Israel’s bombing of a Gaza hospital today, killing hundreds of people. Targeting a hospital, considered a safe haven under International Humanitarian Law, is a war crime. The International Community must act now.’
The indiscriminate attack on a medical facility, which is designated as a safe zone under international law, has ignited global outrage. The African Union has joined the call for immediate international action to address the grave violation of humanitarian principles.
Djibouti’s Health Minister, Ahmed Robleh Abdilleh, went further in his denunciation of the airstrike, categorising it as genocide. He decried the use of prohibited phosphorous ammunition and emphasised that such actions would not extinguish the Palestinian people’s yearning for freedom.
The Israeli bombing campaign on Gaza has come under intense scrutiny, with numerous non-governmental organisations and world leaders questioning its compliance with international law and raising concerns about potential war crimes. The airstrikes have targeted not only healthcare facilities like Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital but also homes and houses of worship in Gaza, leading to an increasingly urgent call for international intervention.
