Examining the International Conventions on attacking Hospitals

Conventions of Human Rights: On the evening of Tuesday, October 17, Israel carried out deadly airstrikes on Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in the Gaza Strip, killing more than 500 Palestinian civilians. Gaza's health ministry says at least 471 people were killed in the blast. The deadliest of any incident in Gaza during the current war between Israel and Hamas. The ministry said hundreds more victims were trapped under the rubble. Hamas said that the explosion killed mostly displaced people. Palestinian Authority Health Minister Mai Alkaila accused Israel of carrying out "massacres".[1]

The question is, what do the international conventions say about the right to life of civilians, the killing of civilians and especially the attack on hospitals? Which is examined here briefly:

1. Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

According to Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, everyone has the right to life, liberty and security. No one can take away these fundamental rights. The right to life is the most fundamental human right, other rights provided in international human rights documents are based on the right to life. The importance of this right is such that it cannot be violated even in emergency situations.

2. International Humanitarian law and Geneva Conventions:

International humanitarian law is a part of international laws which determines the rules of governing relations between countries. International laws are the agreements between governments in the forms of treaties or conventions. They include the set of government actions that they believe to be binding.

A major part of international humanitarian law has been proposed in the four Geneva Conventions of 1949. 196 countries around the world have committed to follow these laws.

Article 18 of Geneva Convention No. 4 emphasizes that Civil hospitals that are established to care for the wounded and sick, disabled patients and cases related to childbirth, should not be attacked under any circumstances. They should always be respected and protected by the parties to the conflict.

Conclusion:

According to the Geneva Convention, the sick and wounded, medical staff, hospitals and mobile medical centers are protected in wartime. They cannot be attacked under any circumstances. In addition, wounded soldiers or paramilitaries who are being treated in hospitals and medical centers are protected. As well as medical workers who are armed to defend themselves and their patients. Targeting them is considered a war crime.