War in Gaza: Attack on Al-Ahli Arabi Hospital condemned by the African Union and Egypt
In an act described as a “war crime”, the Al-Ahli Arabi Anglican Hospital, located in downtown Gaza City, was hit by deadly strikes on Tuesday evening, October 17. While responsibilities are disputed between Israel and Hamas, the African Union (AU) directly accused Israel of this attack. The latter is also condemned by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi, who denounces a flagrant violation of international law.
AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat quickly reacted on social media, saying: “There are no words to fully express our condemnation of Israel’s bombing of a hospital in Gaza, which killed hundreds of people. Once again, the AU calls on the international community to act in the face of this escalation of violence. This statement also comes after the Hamas attack on October 7, where Moussa Faki Mahamat urged the major world powers to take their responsibilities to impose peace and guarantee the rights of the two peoples.
Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi, Egyptian President, also strongly condemned the bombing of the hospital in Gaza, denouncing a flagrant violation of international law. This attack provoked demonstrations across the Arab world, notably in Tunis in front of the French embassy and in Mauritania in front of the American embassy. The Mauritanian authorities even declared a three-day national mourning as a sign of solidarity.
The protests that took place in the streets of Tunis were marked by slogans calling for an end to what they describe as genocide in Gaza and denouncing Israel as a criminal and terrorist organization. This demonstration brought together deputies, students and citizens, supported by the call of President Kaïs Saied who declared that it is time to liberate Palestine.
In Morocco, the National Action Group for Palestine organized a demonstration in Rabat to demand an end to any form of normalization with Israel, despite the normalization of relations between the two countries since 2020. Also in Egypt, the population expressed his anger at this act of violence.
These reactions once again underline the sensitivity and importance of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in international news. In addition to the convictions, they also highlight the need for international action to put an end to this escalation of violence and guarantee the security and rights of civilian populations in the region.