On November 4, 2023: Occupation forces reportedly bombed the entrance to the Al-Nasr Children's Hospital, killing two people and wounding many others[16][17].
On November 7, 2023: Occupation forces besieged the hospital[18].
On November 9, 2023: Ministry of Health spokesperson Dr. Ashraf Al-Qidra announced that occupation forces besieged and attacked the hospital, destroying medical equipment[19].
The Ministry of Health also announced that all medical services at the hospital were suspended, and that the intensive care unit and the nursery only operated with a small generator. Ambulances were unable to reach the hospital to evacuate injuries resulting from the targeting and shelling of the hospital[20][21].
On November 10, 2023: Occupation forces surrounded the hospital with tanks and forced the medical staff to evacuate the hospital, leaving premature babies in the incubators[22].
On November 11, 2023: Occupation military tanks continued to surround the hospital[23].
On November 28, 2023 : The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor reported on the murder of premature babies by occupation soldiers. The bodies of the babies were found decomposing inside of Al-Nasr Hospital after the occupation forced all staff to evacuate the hospital, leaving the babies inside. The Euro-Med Monitor called for the establishment of an independent international commission of inquiry to investigate the killing of five Palestinian newborn babies who were left behind after the Israeli army forced the staff to evacuate. The hospital’s director Dr. Mustafa al-Kahlout also stated that he appealed for help from international organizations and the ICRC, but that he did not receive a response. He noted that he informed an Israeli army officer that the five children needed respirators and could not be moved, and the officer replied that he was aware of the situation[24].
On November 29, 2023: Footage circulated of the decomposing bodies of premature babies at the hospital after the facility was forcibly evacuated on November 10[22].
On January 1, 2024: Al Jazeera reported of the total destruction of hospital[25].
On February 16, 2024: Media sources circulated videos of decomposing bodies of children on intensive care beds at the hospital[26].
Secondary testimonies/data:
According to Dr. Mona Yousef's testimony to the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, she was forced to evacuate patients and internally displaced people from the hospital to the southern part of the Gaza Strip on November 10, 2023, and reported that the hospital was repeatedly subjected to gunfire and artillery attacks, in addition to being surrounded by occupation tanks. According to her testimony, medical staff were forced to leave two babies in the care unit, two in the nursery, and a fifth baby with Down syndrome with an orphan girl whose entire family was killed. The Israeli officer confirmed in a phone call with the hospital director that all the remaining infants were saved, but the occupation forces actually killed the babies, leaving them to die and their bodies to decompose[24].
On November 24, 2023: Doctors Without Borders (MSF) deputy medical coordinator Dr. Mohammed Abu Mugheisab said that a staff member was volunteering at the hospital and reported that the children's hospital was directly targeted by tanks[27]
On November 10, 2023: The family of an MSF staff member was displaced to the hospital, where the doctor was volunteering. According to the doctor's testimony, the occupation army first hit the children's dormitory on the second floor, and the Israeli forces also targeted the first floor, water tanks, electricity and water sources.
"Life in Al-Nasr Hospital stopped, and the medical equipment in the intensive care unit stopped working, including ventilators. The army started firing shells indiscriminately in our direction."
According to the testimony, a doctor at al-Nasr Hospital informed the Israeli army that there were patients and displaced people inside the hospital, yet the occupation forces repeatedly threatened to evacuate the hospital. A doctor tried to secure ambulances to transport the patients, but the army refused the request and prevented any relief vehicles from reaching the hospital. The doctor at the hospital asked ambulances to come to the hospital, however, none of the vehicles were able to arrive. At the same time, the occupation army used snipers, targeting anyone who tried to move or leave the hospital. One of the doctors asked the army for a safe passage, and the army agreed, but when people began leaving the hospital the occupation forces started shooting at them. The occupation army then ordered an evacuation between 11:30 a.m. and noon. According to the testifying doctor, they then left waving white flags, five children remained in intensive care on respirators, and the staff managed to save one infant who was later transferred to al-Shifa Hospital's nursery.
“To see patients die in front of us is the hardest feeling I experienced in my life. It is an indescribable feeling. Our hearts broke for them. We couldn't help them, take them, or treat them. We could barely get ourselves and our children out. We are civilians, a medical team, and displaced civilians”[27].
On March 24, 2024: The occupation forces stormed the hospital amid intense shelling[28].
Testimonies:
According to Dr. Mona Yousef's testimony to the Euro-Mediterranean Observatory for Human Rights, she was forced to evacuate the hospital from patients and internally displaced persons (IDPs) to the southern Gaza Strip on November 10, 2023, and reported that the hospital was repeatedly subjected to gunfire and artillery attacks, in addition to being surrounded by Israeli Occupation Force (IOF) tanks.
According to the testimony, medical staff were forced to leave two children in the care unit, two in the nursery, and a fifth child with Down syndrome with an orphan girl whose entire family was killed. An Israeli officer confirmed in a phone call with the hospital director that all the remaining infants were saved, but the IOF in fact, killed the infants and left them to die and decompose [20].
November 24, 2023: Dr. Mohammed Abu Mugheisab, Médecins Sans Frontières’ (MSF) deputy medical coordinator, said that a crew member was volunteering at al-Nasr Children's Hospital and reported that the children's hospital was directly targeted by tanks [24].
November 10, 2023: The family of an MSF staff member was displaced to al-Nasr Hospital, where the doctor was volunteering. According to the doctor's testimony, the occupation army first hit the children's dormitory on the second floor, and the IOF also targeted the first floor, water tanks, and electricity and water sources.
“Life in Al-Nasr Hospital stopped and the medical equipment in the intensive care unit stopped working, including breathing machines.
The army started firing shells indiscriminately in our direction.”
According to the testimony, a doctor at al-Nasr Hospital informed the IOF of the presence of patients and IDPs inside the hospital, yet the IOF repeatedly threatened to evacuate the hospital.
One of the doctors tried to secure ambulances to transport patients, but the army refused the request and prevented any relief vehicles from reaching the hospital. However, the doctor at Al-Nasr Hospital asked ambulances to come to the hospital, and none of the vehicles were able to arrive.
At the same time, the IOF used snipers, targeting anyone who tried to move or leave the hospital. One of the doctors asked the army for a safe way to cross, and the army agreed, but when part of the people in the hospital left, the IOF started shooting at them.
The occupation army then ordered an evacuation between 11:30 a.m. and noon.
According to the testifying doctor, they then left waving white flags while five children remained in intensive care on respirators and the staff managed to save one infant, who was later transferred to Shifa Hospital's nursery.
