PALESTINE
Wed 18 Oct 2023 1:50 pm - Jerusalem Time
Widespread Arab and international condemnation of the Baptist Hospital massacre in Gaza
Arab and international condemnations continued for the Israeli army’s bombing of the Baptist Hospital in the Gaza Strip, leaving more than a thousand martyrs among the displaced civilians who took refuge in the hospital run by the Anglican Episcopal Church in Jerusalem after their homes were destroyed as a result of the Israeli occupation’s attacks.
President Mahmoud Abbas declared three days of mourning, stressing that the occupation’s bombing of the Baptist Hospital was a crime of genocide and a humanitarian catastrophe.
The Arab Republic of Egypt condemned in the strongest terms, in a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Israeli bombing of Al-Ahly Baptist Hospital in the Gaza Strip, which resulted in hundreds of innocent victims, wounded and injured Palestinian citizens in Gaza.
Egypt considered this deliberate bombing of civilian facilities and targets a serious violation of the provisions of international and humanitarian law, and of the most basic values of humanity, calling on Israel to immediately stop its policies of collective punishment against the people of the Gaza Strip.
Egypt called on all countries of the world, especially major and influential countries, to intervene to stop these violations and condemn them unequivocally, and to demand that Israel stop targeting the vicinity of the Rafah crossing to enable Egypt and any other countries and international and relief organizations it wishes to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip as quickly as possible.
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned in the strongest terms the heinous crime committed by the Israeli occupation forces by bombing the Baptist Hospital in Gaza, which led to the death of hundreds of civilians, including children and the wounded.
The UAE also strongly condemned the Israeli attack on the hospital in Gaza.
Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said, “Hundreds of martyrs fell in the Baptist Hospital in Gaza as a result of Israeli criminality and the global conscience that is silent about injustice and truth, so for how long?”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman considered Israel’s targeting of the Baptist Hospital in Gaza a “crime of war and genocide.”
The Mauritanian government expressed its "condemnation and denunciation of the heinous crime and horrific massacre committed by the Israeli war machine," and declared "national mourning for the souls of the martyrs of this painful massacre and the flags to be flown at half-mast for a period of 3 days."
It also called on the international community to "assume its legal and humanitarian responsibilities and impose an immediate halt to the genocide against the Palestinian people, and provide them with urgent protection."
The Algerian presidency strongly condemned Israel's "deliberate attack" on a hospital in the Gaza Strip.
The Jordanian Foreign Ministry held Israel responsible for this dangerous development and condemned in the strongest terms the attack on the Baptist Hospital.
Iraq also declared a state of official mourning for 3 days across the country "in honor of the innocent lives that fell victim to international silence before falling victim to the fire of barbaric aggression."
Basem Al-Awadi, the official spokesman for the Iraqi government, said in a press statement, “We declare general mourning throughout the Republic of Iraq for a period of 3 days, out of loyalty and honor to the innocent souls who fell victim to international silence before they fell victim to the fire of barbaric aggression.”
The Iraqi spokesman called on the Arab countries, friendly countries, and the free world to adopt a unified position by issuing an urgent and immediate resolution from the UN Security Council to “stop this ugly, blatant aggression.”
The head of the Libyan National Unity Government, Abdul Hamid Al-Dabaiba, confirmed that targeting Al-Baptisti Hospital is a brutal crime that exceeded all limits.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Libyan unity government stated that "the Israeli occupation's deliberate bombing of Al-Ahly Baptist Hospital is a war crime in accordance with international and humanitarian law, and its perpetrators must be punished."
The League's Secretary-General, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, said, "What kind of hell is the mind that bombs a hospital with its defenseless inmates? The West must stop this tragedy immediately."
Morocco strongly denounced the bombing by Israeli forces of the Baptist Hospital in Gaza, which left hundreds dead and wounded.
In a statement to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Kingdom renewed its "demand that civilians be protected by all parties and not be targeted."
In the statement, she emphasized "the urgent need for concerted efforts by the international community to stop hostilities as soon as possible, respect international humanitarian law, and work to avoid the region sliding towards further escalation and tension."
The Gulf Cooperation Council condemned the Israeli bombing of the Baptist Hospital in Gaza, describing it as “brutal.”
On Wednesday, the head of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, accused Israel of committing a “war crime.”
Faki said in a post on the X platform (formerly Twitter) that “there are no words that adequately express our condemnation of the Israeli bombing of a hospital in Gaza today, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people.”
The President of the African Commission called on the international community to take action, stressing that "targeting a hospital considered a safe haven under international humanitarian law is a war crime."
The United Nations Secretariat strongly condemned the attack on the Baptist Hospital and called for an end to attacks on civilians and health facilities.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations said that he was shocked by the killing of hundreds of Palestinian civilians in a strike on a hospital in Gaza, which I strongly condemn and condemn, and my heart goes out to the families of the victims in Gaza.
The World Health Organization strongly condemned the attack on the Baptist Hospital in Gaza, which claimed hundreds of lives, saying it was “unprecedented in its scope,” and condemned the attack.
Richard Peppercorn, the World Health Organization's representative in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, said, "This attack is unprecedented in scope. We are witnessing continuing attacks on health care in the occupied Palestinian territories."
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) strongly condemned the attack on the Baptist Hospital in Gaza, and called for an immediate ceasefire.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, condemned the “completely unacceptable” bombing that targeted a hospital in Gaza on Tuesday evening.
Turk said in a statement, "Words are inexpressible. Tonight, hundreds of people were killed in a horrific way in the attack on the National Arab Hospital, including patients, health care providers, and families who took refuge in the hospital and its surroundings. Once again, the most vulnerable people are being injured. This is completely unacceptable." .
US President Joe Biden expressed his "anger and deep sadness over the explosion in the Al-Ahli Hospital" in Gaza.
The US President offered his "deepest condolences for the innocent lives lost in the explosion in a hospital in Gaza," wishing "a speedy recovery for the wounded," according to what the White House announced Tuesday.
The US Department of Defense said that it provides Israel with security systems to eliminate Hamas, but this does not mean killing innocent civilians.
Dmitry Polyansky, Russia's deputy delegate to the United Nations, said that Russia and the UAE requested a UN Security Council meeting to be held tomorrow, Wednesday, after the Israeli air strike on a hospital in Gaza.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed that the news received about Israel's bombing of the Baptist Hospital was disastrous, and said that it was "a terrible and unacceptable matter."
European Council President Charles Michel said that Israel's bombing of a hospital in Gaza and the "comprehensive siege" of the Palestinian Strip "are not in line with international law."
Meanwhile, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, wrote on his account on the “X” platform that the attack on the Gaza Hospital is “a tragedy unfolding before our eyes.”
"Once again, innocent civilians are paying the heavy price," Borrell added.
The European official stressed that "responsibility for this crime must be clearly determined and its perpetrators held accountable."
The British Foreign Office said that it was monitoring reports of a “visibly visible raid” that targeted a hospital in Gaza.
French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on Wednesday on the X social media platform that France condemns the attack on the National Arab Hospital in Gaza.
He wrote, "France condemns the attack on the National Arab Hospital in Gaza, which claimed many Palestinian victims. Our hearts are with them. The circumstances must be revealed."
He continued, "Humanitarian aid must be re-entered the Gaza Strip without delay."
Share your opinion
Widespread Arab and international condemnation of the Baptist Hospital massacre in Gaza