Ci sono poche cose che mi annodano le interiora. Una è il prosecco cattivo. Dell’altra parliamo oggi. Un ospedale resta senza corrente: respiratori fermi, incubatrici spente, chirurghi che operano alla luce dei telefoni. Alcuni medici scappano trascinando i pazienti su letti di fortuna, altri restano e scelgono chi salvare prima. Si sgretola il principio di neutralità medica – “chi cura non è un bersaglio, curi chi soffre”. Siamo ad Al-Shifa, Gaza, novembre 2023. Parliamo di Gaza non perché sia l’unico inferno: succede anche in Yemen, Sudan, Ucraina. Ma Gaza è qui, appena dall’altra parte del nostro mare. E no: anche se un gruppo armato abusa di un ospedale, il diritto di guerra non ti dà la licenza di raderlo al suolo. Distinzione, proporzionalità, precauzioni: altrimenti non è guerra, è macelleria. Qui sta il nocciolo etico. Cosa resta della neutralità medica quando curare viene letto come schierarsi? Quando restare neutrale significa, di fatto, abbandonare i pazienti? Bioetica da Bar non dà assoluzioni: offre un bicchiere e una domanda. E anche una certezza: gli ospedali non devono essere un campo di battaglia. È una storia dura. Che il nostro silenzio non sia il prossimo blackout.

Fonti:
Saarinen 2023, “Al-Shifa hospital has become a focal point in Israel's war. Doctors say they are trapped inside with patients” (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-14/al-shifa-doctors-say-they-are-trapped-inside-with-patients/103102444 ).
Doctors Without Borders/MSF 2023, “"No one hears us," Doctor in Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital Describes the Harrowing Scene” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0sWb4LGBwI )
Doctors Without Borders/MSF 2024, “Gaza: MSF calls for safety and information on missing doctor” (https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/gaza-msf-calls-safety-and-information-missing-doctor).
Doctors Without Borders/MSF 2025, “MSF denounces killing of 14th staff member in Gaza” (https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/msf-denounces-killing-14th-staff-member-gaza )
Abuelaish e Musani 2025, “Reviving and rebuilding the health system in Gaza” (https://doi.org/10.26719/2025.31.2.56).
Abi-Rached, Sharara, Nasrallah, e Abiad 2025. “Healthocide and medical neutrality: a call for action and reflection” (https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2024-018656 ).
OCHA 2025, “Humanitarian Situation Update #288 | Gaza Strip” (https://www.ochaopt.org/content/humanitarian-situation-update-288-gaza-strip ).
Poole et al. 2024, “Damage to medical complexes in the Gaza Strip during the Israel–Hamas war: a geospatial analysis” (https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh- 2023-014768).
Asi et al. 2024, “‘Nowhere and no one is safe’: spatial analysis of damage to critical civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip during the first phase of the Israeli military campaign, 7 October to 22 November 2023” (https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-024-00580-x).
Hall 2025, “‘Healthocide’: experts warn of rise in targeting of health services in conflict” (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/05/healthocide-doctors-hospitals-targeted-gaza).
UN Security Council 2025, “9830th Meeting - Security Council Debates Israeli Attacks on Hospitals Allegedly Misused by Hamas, as UN Rights Chief Urges Independent Probes” (https://press.un.org/en/2025/sc15959.doc.htm).
Hamamra, Abuzant e Mahamid 2025, “The Decimation of Gaza's Health Care System-Hospitals Destroyed and Lives Endangered” (https://doi.org/10.1177/27551938251378096).
Reuters 2023, “ US will not share intel on Hamas and Al Shifa hospital - White House” (https://www.reuters.com/world/us-will-not-share-intelligence-connecting-hamas-al-shifa-hospital-white-house-2023-11-16/).
Hunnicutt 2023, “White House says it has evidence Hamas using Al Shifa hospital to run military actions” (https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/white-house-says-it-has-evidence-hamas-using-al-shifa-hospital-run-military-2023-11-14/).
McKernan 2023, “IDF publishes footage of what it says is Hamas tunnel at al-Shifa hospital” (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/19/idf-israel-army-footage-claims-hamas-tunnel-al-shifa-hospital-gaza).
Reuters 2023, “HRW: Israeli evidence so far insufficient to revoke Shifa's protections” (https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/hrw-israeli-evidence-so-far-insufficient-revoke-shifas-protections-2023-11-16/).
Human Rights Watch 2023, “Gaza: Unlawful Israeli Hospital Strikes Worsen Health Crisis” (https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/11/14/gaza-unlawful-israeli-hospital-strikes-worsen-health-crisis).
Rao e Breitegger 2025, “Reaffirming IHL’s specific protection of hospitals” (https://blogs.icrc.org/law-and-policy/2025/05/27/reaffirming-ihl-s-specific-protection-of-hospitals/).
Droege e Rushing 2023, “Israel and the occupied territories: how international humanitarian law applies” (https://blogs.icrc.org/law-and-policy/2023/12/19/israel-and-the-occupied-territories-how-international-humanitarian-law-applies/).
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights 2024, “Thematic Report - Attacks on hospitals during the escalation of hostilities in Gaza (7 October 2023 - 30 June 2024)” (https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/thematic-report-attacks-hospitals-during-escalation-hostilities-gaza-7-october-2023-30-june-2024-enar). Ziv 2025, “How a Scottish maritime museum ended up in Israel’s 3D propaganda videos” (https://www.972mag.com/israeli-army-3d-propaganda-animations/).
Forensic Architecture 2024, “An Assessment of Visual Material Presented by the  Israeli Legal Team at the International Court of Justice (ICJ)” (https://forensic-architecture.org/investigation/assessment-israeli-material-icj-jan-2024).
Lederman 2025, “International Humanitarian Law and the Immunity of Hospitals in Gaza” (https://doi.org/10.1111/bioe.13433).
Sajid 2025, “The cost of conflict: how war is crippling Gaza’s healthcare system” (https://doi.org/10.1186/s41984-025-00437-2).
Yousry 2024, “For one doctor, becoming a neurosurgeon in Gaza was an uphill battle” (https://www.wkar.org/2024-02-18/for-one-doctor-becoming-a-neurosurgeon-in-gaza-was-an-uphill-battle).
Orr et al. 2022, “Neutrality, conflict, and structural determinants of health in a Jerusalem emergency department” (https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-022-01681-w).