Turkey 'threatens' Israel with legal action after army uses Gaza hospital as base

Turkey on Tuesday threatened to take Israel to international courts after images shared online showed Gaza’s only specialised cancer hospital used as a military base.

Ankara also condemned Israel's military for repeatedly attacking the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, a facility to the south of Gaza City built and equipped by Turkey.

"The photo in the Palestinian press showing a group of Israeli soldiers in front of the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital in Gaza is further evidence of Israel's violation of international law and international humanitarian law," Turkey's foreign affairs ministry said in a statement.

The ministry stressed that the hospital was the "only centre" providing medical care for cancer patients in the enclave.

"The damage caused to the hospital by the Israeli forces and its use as a military base is part of Israel's systematic policy aimed at the annihilation of the Palestinian people," the ministry said.

The ministry added that it would to ensure that "those responsible" were brought to justice in international courts.

The Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital was built  in 2017 by the Turkish Corporation and Coordination Agency, which was operated by the Palestinian health ministry.  It was considered one of the largest hospitals in the Gaza Strip.

In October, during the onset of Israel’s military offensive, Israeli war jets struck the medical facility at least twice, leaving patients in a "state of panic". The strikes caused extensive damage to the hospital, director general, Dr. Subhi Skaik said. A fire also broke out on one of the hospital’s floors, before being contained.

In November, the hospital was forced to shut down due to a lack of fuel following a total siege imposed by Israel.

Turkey has received a number of Palestinian cancer patients from Gaza for treatment from the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship hospital, after the hospital could no longer operate.

Throughout the war in Gaza, Turkey has frequently condemned Israel’s actions in the Strip, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan branding Israel a "terror state" and called for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be "tried as a war criminal".

In response to the onslaught in Gaza, Turkey halted all exports to Israel in May, with Tel Aviv ending all free trade with Ankara in a retaliatory move soon after.