Several muslim countries condemn IDF's strike on Gaza hospital, call for lifting aid restrictions

Foreign ministers from 18 countries condemned “in the strongest terms” an Israeli airstrike targeting a Hamas terrorist on Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis on Saturday, saying it violated international humanitarian law and calling on Israel to lift restrictions on humanitarian aid entering Gaza.

In the joint statement, the ministers condemned the strike, which resulted in six killed and multiple others injured, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. 

The joint statement said patients and medical personnel were among the casualties and added that the attack violated “international humanitarian law, which guarantees special protection for medical facilities and healthcare workers.”

The IDF and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) said the strike on Nasser Hospital Wednesday night targeted Hamas’s Khan Yunis Brigade commander Muhammad Abu Ismail, but as of Saturday did not confirm whether he survived the strikes or not.

The joint statement did not mention Hamas or the IDF’s stated reason for the strike on the hospital.

The statement was signed by the foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Algeria, Palestine, Libya, Mauritania, Djibouti, Somalia, Turkey, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Sudan.

Ministers condemn 'Israeli attacks on civilians'

The ministers also condemned "continued Israeli attacks on Palestinian civilians, including the targeting of tents and other sites sheltering displaced persons.”

“These attacks undermine the ceasefire agreement and efforts to restore security and stability in the Gaza Strip, and contradict the comprehensive plan of US President Donald Trump,” the statement read.

The ministers expressed “deep concern” over continued Israeli restrictions on humanitarian aid, including tents, caravans, mobile homes, and medical supplies, warning that the restrictions were worsening conditions in Gaza as winter approached.

“The lack of adequate shelter and the deterioration of water, sanitation, and healthcare services are putting the lives of civilians, particularly children and infants, at grave risk,” the statement said.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimated that 1.4 million Gazans are living in tents, accounting for roughly 65% of the total population there.

The ministers called on Israel to “immediately and fully implement its obligations” under the Sharm el-Sheikh Agreement, Trump's comprehensive plan, and UN Security Council Resolution 2803.

They also called for the “safe, sustained, and unimpeded delivery of sufficient humanitarian aid,” including shelter supplies and equipment needed to rehabilitate essential infrastructure, and urged Israel to allow UN agencies and humanitarian organizations to operate without hindrance.

Trump's Board of Peace criticizes Israel for 'insufficient' aid allowance to Gaza

The Board of Peace also called out Israel this week for delays in allowing humanitarian supplies to enter Gaza, saying “the response remains insufficient.”

The BOP’s statement added that the delays “exacerbated the consequences of a foreseeable humanitarian challenge.”

Israel has said it has allowed thousands of additional tents to enter Gaza, bringing the total number to 93,000, according to a statement from the IDF on Friday.

The ministers called on the United States and the UN Security Council to intensify efforts to ensure Israel implements its commitments and lifts restrictions on humanitarian aid, saying this is necessary to preserve the credibility of the ceasefire understandings.

They reaffirmed their commitment to working with regional and international partners to consolidate the ceasefire, implement all phases of the plan, and increase humanitarian assistance to Palestinians.