Israeli soldiers have withdrawn from Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City after two weeks of intense fighting that left widespread devastation in its wake. The Israeli military reported that around 200 Palestinians were killed and hundreds more were arrested during the conflict.
The hospital, a vital medical facility in the region, suffered significant damage to its main buildings, including the emergency, obstetrics, and surgical wards. Dr. Taysir al-Tanna, a vascular surgeon at Al-Shifa, described the scene as a “wasteland” following the violent clashes.
Mahmoud Basal, a spokesman for the Palestinian Civil Defense, reported that bodies were scattered in and around the complex, with some still buried under the rubble of destroyed buildings. The final death toll remained unclear as rescue teams continued to search for survivors.
The Israeli military claimed that the Palestinians killed were militants, including senior commanders from groups like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. They also stated that their soldiers had arrested around 900 people suspected of being militants at the hospital complex.
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the Israeli military spokesman, attributed the destruction to the militants who had fortified themselves inside the hospital wards and refused to surrender. He defended the military’s actions, stating that they had to fire on the buildings to stop the terrorists.
The World Health Organization reported that at least 21 patients had died since the Israeli raid began in mid-March, with many others left without adequate medical care or supplies. The Gaza Health Ministry stated that only 107 patients remained in the hospital, facing dire conditions.
The conflict at Al-Shifa Hospital is not new, as Israeli forces had previously raided the facility in November, claiming that Hamas militants had built a command center underneath it. Hamas denied the allegations, insisting that the hospital was a refuge for civilians.
As the situation escalates, both sides continue to blame each other for the destruction and loss of life at Al-Shifa Hospital. The international community has expressed concerns over the targeting of medical facilities in the conflict and the impact on civilian populations caught in the crossfire.
