Israel hampers Gaza field hospitals by providing insufficient sites
The Israeli government has blocked the construction of field hospitals in the Gaza Strip, either by providing small plots not fit for purpose or by directing displaced Palestinians to settle in designated areas, two regional sources familiar with the issue told Middle East Eye.
Several countries have attempted to deploy medical units and field hospitals to Egypt and the city of Rafah in southern Gaza since November to provide aid to the Palestinian casualties of Israel’s offensive.
More than 77,000 Palestinians have been wounded and over 34,000 killed by Israeli attacks in seven months of war. Around 1.7 million of Gaza’s 2.2 million Palestinians have been displaced by the conflict, most of them to Rafah.
In November, Italy announced that it would establish a field hospital in Gaza and dispatched a fact-finding mission to Rafah to evaluate the situation on the ground, a regional source said.
The team, which consisted of officials from Italy’s health and defence ministries, visited the site near Rafah’s stadium in January.
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“The plot given by the Israelis was too small for a field hospital and it was being secured by Hamas,” the source said.
Italy asked for an alternative location. But the second plot Israel suggested, which was to the west and closer to the sea, “was even smaller” the source added, so the entire plan was abandoned.
'It is obvious that those Palestinians had been pushed to those areas by Israel to disrupt the construction of the field hospital'
- Regional source
The Italian foreign ministry and Israeli foreign ministry have not responded to requests for comment.
Another case suggests that Israel may have deliberately prevented the construction of field hospitals in Gaza.
In late November, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said Turkey was deploying eight field hospitals to Egypt to serve wounded Palestinians, in coordination with Egyptian and Israeli authorities.
Turkey and Israel then agreed one of those field hospitals could be moved into Gaza itself, according to a second regional source.
But as Ankara moved to establish the hospital on the outskirts of Rafah near the Gush Katif road and Helmi Saqr Sultan Mosque, Turkish officials realised that the previously empty plot was now occupied by displaced Palestinians.
“It is obvious that those Palestinians had been pushed to those areas by Israel to disrupt the construction of the field hospital,” the second source said.
“Displaced Palestinians can’t build tents anywhere, the Israelis constantly deliver messages ordering them to gather them in certain areas,” the source added.
Satellite images reviewed by MEE indicate that the plot was empty on 6 December. But by 26 December, images show many tents and shelters in the area.
The Turkish foreign ministry declined to comment.
Like Italy and Turkey, the United Arab Emirates announced in early November its intention to establish a field hospital in Gaza.
According to the regional sources, the UAE also experienced some difficulty in setting up a facility. However, the country's good relations with Israel meant the Emirati field hospital was up and running in Rafah in early December.
The second regional source said Turkey was still unable to establish a field hospital in Rafah.
This article is available in French on Middle East Eye French edition.
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