The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) strongly condemns the Israeli occupying forces’ [IOF] escalation of their military aggression against the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military launched intense “Carpet Bombing” airstrikes around the European Gaza Hospital and bombed homes with residents inside, killing dozens. This represents a dangerous escalation of the ongoing crime of genocide, now entering its 19th month, which continues to expand systematically to include the targeting of families, hospitals, and civilian infrastructure.

In the early hours of Wednesday, 14 May 2025, less than three hours after Israeli authorities issued unlawful evacuation orders to residents of Jabalia, Jabalia refugee camp, and the neighborhoods of Tel al-Zaatar, Sheikh Zayed, Al-Noor, Al-Salam, and Al-Rawda in northern Gaza, Israeli warplanes launched simultaneous, intensive “carpet bombing” attacks on homes in those areas. These attacks killed 51 civilians, including 24 children and 17 women.

Details of the Attacks:

• At approximately 1:30 a.m., Israeli warplanes bombed a house belonging to the Al-Najjar family in Jabalia refugee camp, killing 19 civilians, including 9 children and 9 women, as well as several neighbors. Multiple injuries were reported, and others remain missing under the rubble.
• Simultaneously, warplanes bombed a home belonging to the Meqbil family in the Al-Jarn neighborhood of Jabalia town, killing 17 civilians, including 6 children and 5 women. Several others were injured or remain missing under the rubble.
• Israeli airstrikes also targeted two apartments belonging to the Khalil and Abu Ouda families on the fifth floor of a residential building on Al-Ajarmeh Street in central Jabalia, killing 15 civilians, including 9 children and 3 women.

As part of its systematic policy of targeting hospitals, at 6:15 p.m. on Tuesday, 13 May 2025, Israeli warplanes launched carpet bombing attacks on the area opposite the emergency and reception departments of the European Gaza Hospital, southeast of Khan Younis. Subsequent strikes hit the surrounding areas of the hospital. These attacks killed at least 6 civilians and injured dozens more, including 4 journalists. Rescue teams are still searching for missing persons under the rubble. Significant damage was inflicted on hospital buildings and medical facilities.

In a double crime, Israeli warplanes bombed a house belonging to the Al-Afghani family near the Customs Directorate in eastern Khan Younis, killing 4 civilians. When civil defense teams arrived to recover the bodies, Israeli forces bombed the house again, injuring two rescue workers.

Another airstrike targeted a home belonging to the Abu Amouna family in the Al-Fukhari area, south of Khan Younis, killing 9 civilians, including a couple and their four children, as well as three siblings, all children.

In a further escalation, Israeli aircraft this morning targeted a rescue bulldozer clearing debris and searching for missing persons near the European Gaza Hospital. The attack destroyed the bulldozer and injured two civilians, one of them a journalist. Another airstrike targeted a house west of the hospital, killing 4 more civilians.

In a press conference today, Dr. Imad Al-Hout, Director of the European Gaza Hospital, announced a sudden failure in the hospital’s electricity and oxygen systems, which endangered patients’ lives and forced the shutdown of operating rooms. As a result, the hospital was unable to perform surgeries on injured individuals, who were later transferred to Nasser Hospital. He also reported major structural damage to hospital facilities due to the airstrikes.

It is important to note that the attack on the hospital area occurred while 188 patients and escorts were preparing for medical evacuation abroad the following day, coordinated with the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health. These individuals had already endured extremely difficult hours prior to the planned evacuation.

This attack forms part of a systematic Israeli policy aimed at crippling and destroying Gaza’s healthcare system. Earlier that same day, Israeli forces targeted the Nasser Medical Complex, killing two people—including wounded journalist Hassan Abdul-Fattah Eslieh—and injuring 12 others who were receiving treatment. On 13 April, Israeli warplanes bombed the Arab Ahli (Baptist) Hospital in Gaza City, which had been the last functioning medical facility serving nearly one million Palestinians amid the total collapse of the health system.

These deliberate and systematic attacks on hospitals and medical centres, including targeting medical teams and obstructing civil defense operations, demonstrate a clear intention to destroy the healthcare infrastructure, render hospitals non-operational, and deliberately deprive civilians of their right to life and medical care. This reflects the IOF’s persistent strategy of executing a comprehensive genocide against the population of the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights asserts that this crime is yet another indication that the international community’s silence and complicity have granted the IOF a safe environment for impunity, encouraging them to persist in their repeated crimes against civilians and medical facilities in blatant violation of international humanitarian law.

PCHR calls for urgent and concrete measures to halt the ongoing genocide and ensure accountability for Israeli officials before international justice mechanisms. It also urges all State Parties to the Genocide Convention to uphold their legal and moral obligations and to take immediate action to protect Palestinian civilians from mass killings and severe human rights violations.