A Reminder that Targeting a Hospital is a War Crime
Elise Baker is a senior staff lawyer at the Atlantic Council Strategic Litigation Project. She leads efforts on accountability and support for victims of human rights violations in Syria. Previously, she documented the Assad regime’s systematic attacks on healthcare in Syria with Physicians for Human Rights. Britt Gronemeyer is an assistant director at the same project, supporting accountability for violations in Iran, Syria, Ukraine, and other countries.
The world rightly focuses on the ceasefire taking hold across Gaza, bringing urgent relief to over two million civilians. While mediators, politicians, and humanitarian workers concentrate on securing a lasting ceasefire and urgent aid, lawyers and human rights advocates must intensify accountability efforts.
Israeli military actions in Gaza over the past two years have largely disregarded international law, with nearly daily reports of war crimes and crimes against humanity, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths. Among the most severe violations are hundreds of strikes on medical facilities.
"Chief among Israeli violations in Gaza are strikes on medical facilities, which total in the hundreds."
Efforts to hold perpetrators accountable remain essential to prevent further atrocities and uphold international humanitarian law.
Author's summary: The ongoing strikes on medical facilities in Gaza highlight grave breaches of international law, emphasizing the urgent need for accountability alongside ceasefire and humanitarian efforts.
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