KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad expressed profound distress upon discovering the destruction inflicted by Israeli bombings on the Dr. Siti Hasmah and Enaya Physiotherapy Centre in Gaza on Nov 7.
In a post today on X, Dr Mahathir had vocalised his frustrations concerning the centre's location in Khan Younis, situated in the southern part of Gaza, being bombed despite the earlier Israeli assurances that they wouldn't target the southern region.
He underlined that the Israeli announcements were merely empty promises.
The former prime minister further elaborated that five Gazan families, who sought refuge at the centre after their homes were bombed, tragically lost four members from each of their families in the Israeli attack.
"I have mourned the bombings and destruction of other hospitals and shelters in Gaza previously.
"But I have a personal affinity for this hospital. The Perdana Global Peace Foundation (PGPF), of which I am a member, was directly involved in its construction from the very start.
"PGPF, alongside Humanitarian Care Malaysia, Muslim Care Malaysia, Media Prima Humanitarian Fund and the Charitable Association for Palestinian Relief helped build it and it has been in operation since 2019," added Dr Mahathir.
Simultaneously, he emphasised that the deliberate killing of Palestinian civilians unmistakably constitutes genocide rather than a conflict between armed forces.
This action, according to Dr Mahathir, represents a method of ethnic cleansing aimed at eradicating the entire Palestinian population.
"The bombings of hospitals and residences, and now a physiotherapy centre, proved that Israel is targeting these centres intentionally and wilfully.
"All we can do is protest and pray for the Palestinians to be spared Israel's brutality.
"And Israeli allies, notably the US and UK continue to justify and support Israelis' barbarity," stated the former prime minister.
