Pakistan joined forces with 16 other nations on Saturday to strongly condemn a deadly Israeli military operation targeting a hospital in Gaza that left six people dead, including patients and medical staff, marking a significant diplomatic pushback against actions the coalition described as breaching international humanitarian protections.
The strike hit the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, one of Gaza’s critical healthcare facilities. Israeli military officials acknowledged carrying out the operation, stating they were targeting a senior Hamas commander they claimed was sheltering inside the hospital compound. However, the attack resulted in civilian casualties among those seeking medical care and the healthcare workers treating them.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office released a joint statement on behalf of the 17-nation coalition, which includes major Muslim-majority countries such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Qatar, and Jordan, alongside Palestine itself and several other Arab and African states. The statement condemned the hospital strike in the strongest possible terms, emphasizing that international humanitarian law grants special protection to medical facilities and those who work in them.
The coalition’s statement went beyond the single incident, expressing alarm over what it characterized as a pattern of Israeli attacks on Palestinian civilians. The ministers specifically highlighted strikes on temporary shelters and tent camps housing displaced families, actions they said were undermining fragile ceasefire arrangements and contradicting recent diplomatic frameworks, including what they referred to as President Trump’s Comprehensive Plan for the region.
A particularly urgent concern raised by the group centers on Israel’s continued restrictions on humanitarian supplies entering Gaza. With winter weather setting in, the coalition warned that inadequate access to shelter materials—including tents, caravans, and mobile housing units—combined with deteriorating water, sanitation, and healthcare infrastructure, is creating life-threatening conditions. The statement specifically warned that children and infants face grave danger from exposure to freezing temperatures, echoing tragic losses from previous winters.
The 17 nations called on Israel to immediately honor its commitments under multiple international agreements, including the Sharm El-Sheikh Agreement, UN Security Council Resolution 2803, and the Trump administration’s regional plan. They urged Israeli authorities to respond to international appeals and allow a substantial increase in humanitarian aid reaching Gaza’s civilian population.
Palestinian health officials described the hospital attack as the deadliest single incident since Israel’s recent inconclusive elections, underscoring the volatile security situation that continues despite diplomatic efforts to establish lasting calm in the territory.
The joint condemnation reflects growing international frustration over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where medical facilities have repeatedly found themselves in conflict zones. Healthcare workers and human rights organizations have long argued that hospitals must remain protected spaces under international law, regardless of military objectives.
The coalition’s statement represents a coordinated diplomatic effort by countries spanning the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia to apply pressure on Israel regarding its military conduct in Gaza and the humanitarian access crisis affecting the territory’s two million residents.
