Israeli attacks killed 22 Palestinians in Gaza on New Year's Day as a new UN report found that Israeli assaults on hospitals have crippled the Palestinian enclave's healthcare system and raised serious questions about Israel's adherence to international law.
The nearly 15-month war on the enclave has continued into the new year with no resolution in sight.
The 23-page report from the United Nations Human Rights Office documents attacks between 12 October 2023 and 30 June 2024, highlighting the severe impact on Palestinians' access to medical care since the escalation began on 7 October 2023.
"The destruction of Gaza’s healthcare system and the killing of patients, medical staff, and civilians during these attacks reflect a flagrant disregard for international humanitarian and human rights law," the report stated.
Daniel Meron, Israel's permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, dismissed the report as baseless, calling its findings fabricated.
Recent Israeli operations targeting hospitals in Gaza have drawn sharp criticism from international bodies, including the World Health Organisation (WHO).
A strike on Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia rendered the facility—the last major health centre in northern Gaza—inoperable, forcing the evacuation of all patients.
The report emphasised that targeting hospitals and facilities for the sick and injured, unless they serve as military objectives, constitutes a war crime.
It further warned that systematic rights violations against civilians could amount to crimes against humanity.
Israel’s government, responding to the UN findings, claimed its military has taken significant measures to minimise civilian harm, including offering humanitarian aid, evacuation routes, and establishing field hospitals.
Palestinians killed on New Year's Day
Meanwhile, Gaza endured heavy bombardment on New Year’s Day, with at least 22 Palestinians killed, including 17 in the besieged north.
The Palestinian Wafa news agency said most of the victims of the attack on north Gaza's Jabalia are children.
According to Palestinian media, Israeli quadcopter drones have been bombing parts of the north since the early morning.
The attacks have deepened the humanitarian crisis as hundreds of thousands of displaced people face harsh winter conditions, living in makeshift shelters along the coast.
Temperatures have dropped below 10°C (50°F) at night, and at least four infants have reportedly died of hypothermia.
Gaza’s Health Ministry states over 45,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since October 2023, with women and children comprising more than half of the casualties.