Israel’s threats to bomb hospitals in Palestine defies humanity and is an act that also constitutes a grave violation of the international humanitarian law. The sanctity of medical facilities during armed conflicts is a principle we must uphold at all costs.
As a responsible global citizen, we cannot remain silent in the face of such despicable acts. The international humanitarian law, the cornerstone of a civilised world, provides unequivocal protection to medical facilities in times of war.
The Geneva Convention IV of 1949 clearly stipulates that civilian hospitals “may in no circumstances be the object of attack.” Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions (1977) further reinforces this commitment to respect and protect these vital institutions. These are not just words on paper – they are our commitment to preserving human dignity during the darkest hours of conflict.
The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, adopted in 1998, leaves no room for ambiguity. It designates intentional attacks on civilian hospitals as war crimes when part of a widespread or systematic assault against a civilian population (Article 8(2)(b)(ix)).
These are not mere recommendations – they are the international laws that safeguard our shared humanity.
The threats by the Israel regime to bomb hospitals are not just a violation of international law but an affront to the very essence of compassion and empathy that should define us as a society.
In times of conflict, we must safeguard the most vulnerable, the wounded, the sick and innocent civilians who seek refuge in these institutions.
I, hereby, urgently call upon the international community to stand up for justice and accountability.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is the bedrock of international justice, tasked with investigating and prosecuting such crimes. Justice is not a choice. It is an obligation that we, as global citizens, must insist upon.
The protection of hospitals during conflicts is not a matter of legal debate but a commitment to the core of humanity. We cannot allow these sanctuaries to be threatened or attacked with impunity.
As a member of the United Nation’s Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and the OIC’s Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC), Malaysia must voice its strongest concern.
It must ensure that international justice prevails to send a strong message that those who threaten the sanctuaries of life will be held accountable for their actions. In these troubling times, it is our collective responsibility to defend the principles that underpin our shared humanity.
Malaysia must condemn such acts in the strongest possible terms and call for swift action by the ICC to bring the perpetrators to justice. Only then, can we begin to restore our faith in the values that define us as a global society.
Azril Mohd Amin
Founder and Chairman
Centre for Human Rights Research and Advocacy (Centhra), Kuala Lumpur
Centre for Human Rights Research and Advocacy (CENTHRA)
CENTHRA was established on the 25th of July 2014, by a coalition of Islamic NGOs (NGIs). It has been incorporated as a limited liability company under Malaysian Law but operates as an NGO.
It was formed as a research and advocacy group to provide an alternative to the global human rights perspective in order to offer a more balanced view that is respectful, particularly of the Muslim faith and tradition and, in general, the Abrahamic tradition.
CENTHRA is backed by prominent individuals in Malaysian academia, legal practitioners, and civil society. Individuals from Malaysian academia make up the community of Research Fellows in various disciplines, which supports CENTHRA’s research function.