Colin Doherty: Ignoring the Intentional Attacks on Hospitals in Conflicts Shows Moral Weakness
Last week, firefighters extinguished a fire at a civilian hospital in Zolochiv, Ukraine, following a Russian drone strike. Throughout history, war has always led to devastation, but in the past century, a particularly sinister tactic has emerged: the intentional targeting of hospitals, clinics, ambulances, and medical staff in conflict zones.
Previously, healthcare facilities and workers were protected under the laws of war, but now they are often deliberately targeted as part of military strategies. Modern military forces sometimes employ systematic approaches to undermine a population's resolve by cutting off medical care, causing displacement, and destabilizing a nation's social structure.