By Laith Al-Jnaidi
AMMAN, Jordan (AA) - The Jordanian Foreign Ministry on Friday strongly condemned the Israeli army's burning of Kamal Adwan Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip and forcibly removing its patients and medical staff, causing several deaths.
Earlier on Friday, a medical source from Kamal Adwan Hospital told Anadolu that the Israeli army set fire to several hospital sections.
In a statement, the ministry described the Israeli act as "a heinous war crime" that is added to Israel's ongoing crimes in Gaza and a blatant violation of international law and humanitarian law.
It held Israel accountable for the safety of the hospital's patients and medical staff, and urged the international community to exert pressure on Israel to halt its attacks on civilians in Gaza and end the unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe caused by Israel's aggression.
According to the source in Kamal Adwan Hospital, the Israeli army threatened the hospital’s director, Hossam Abu Safiya, with arrest if the hospital was not fully evacuated.
The source also confirmed that several patients died in the ICU after the Israeli army cut off their oxygen supply.
Israel launched a large-scale ground offensive in northern Gaza on Oct. 5 to allegedly prevent the Palestinian group Hamas from regrouping. Palestinians, however, accuse Israel of seeking to occupy the area and forcibly displace its residents.
Since then, no sufficient humanitarian aid including food, medicine and fuel has been allowed into the area, leaving the remaining population on the verge of imminent famine.
Israel has killed more than 45,400 people in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, reducing the enclave to rubble.
Last month, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
*Writing by Ahmed Asmar