'Israeli' forces raise “Rising Lion” banner over shuttered Indonesian Hospital in Gaza

• 'Israeli' soldiers raise a banner with a biblical verse over the ruins of Gaza’s Indonesian Hospital, drawing international criticism amid ongoing war and humanitarian crisis.

'Israeli' soldiers have sparked international outcry after raising a large banner over the remains of the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza.

The banner, which features the 'Israeli' flag alongside a biblical verse, was displayed as the military marks the transition between Memorial Day and "Israel’s 78th Independence Day."

The banner carries the Hebrew inscription: “Behold, a people rises like a lion, and as a lion lifts itself,” a reference to a verse from the Torah (Numbers 23:24). The imagery and text hold significant contemporary weight, as "Rising Lion" was the official codename for 'Israel’s' June 2025 military campaign against Iran.

Symbolism Amidst Ruins

Images of the display first surfaced on 'Israeli' Telegram channels on Monday. One post attributed the action to Battalion 9208 of the Negev Brigade, stating the unit was "getting ready for Memorial Day and Independence Day" at the site.

Human rights advocates have described the choice of the Indonesian Hospital for such a display as a "grim victory lap" over Gaza’s collapsed healthcare system. The timing coincides with 'Israel's' so-called Independence Day, which Palestinians commemorate as the Nakba (Catastrophe), marking the ethnic cleansing of over 750,000 Palestinians from their homes.

A History of Siege

The Indonesian Hospital, once the primary medical lifeline for the hundreds of thousands of residents in northern Gaza, is currently out of service. Its history over the last three years mirrors the broader destruction of the territory’s infrastructure:

• November 2023: First besieged and raided by 'Israeli' forces.
• June 2024: Briefly reopened as the only functioning facility in the north.
• 2025: Subjected to a final raid that permanently shuttered its doors.

The facility has been repeatedly targeted and shelled, with the Gaza Ministry of Health reporting that 'Israeli' forces fired directly at intensive care units during previous assaults, trapping staff and patients inside.

The Human Toll

The display comes at a moment of staggering loss. Since the start of hostilities in October 2023, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reports:

• Total Killed: Over 72,560 Palestinians.
• Children: More than 21,000 among the dead.
• Post-Ceasefire Deaths: At least 784 Palestinians have been killed since the brief October 2025 ceasefire.

Gaza's healthcare sector remains in a state of total collapse. A strict blockade continues to prevent the entry of essential medical equipment and specialized surgeons, leaving thousands of wounded civilians without the possibility of life-saving treatment.

"We operate in a context where functioning medical facilities are extremely scarce and needs are acute," noted a recent report from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), highlighting the "extreme distress" of the remaining medical staff in the enclave.