Residents in Gaza have reported that the Israeli military has withdrawn from Gaza’s main hospital, Shifa Hospital, after a two-week raid that caused a significant amount of destruction. Hundreds of people returned to the hospital and surrounding area after the withdrawal, only to find bodies both inside and outside of the facility. The military has labeled the raid as one of the most successful operations of the six-month-long war, claiming to have killed numerous Hamas and other terrorists, including senior operatives, and seizing weapons and valuable intelligence. However, returning residents have described scenes of devastation, with buildings burned down and bodies scattered throughout the area.
One resident, Mohammad Mahdi, recounted the destruction he witnessed upon returning to the hospital, describing the situation as “indescribable.” He reported seeing six bodies in the area, two of which were found in the hospital courtyard. Another resident, Yahia Abu Auf, mentioned that patients, medical workers, and displaced individuals were still seeking shelter inside the medical compound. He also noted that some patients had to be transferred to a nearby hospital, Ahli Hospital, and that army bulldozers had destroyed a makeshift cemetery within the hospital compound. The destruction left behind by the Israeli military has been described as overwhelming and has destroyed the sense of life in the area.
The Israeli military has justified their actions by accusing Hamas of using hospitals for military purposes. This has led to several raids on medical facilities in Gaza, with the military claiming to have discovered tunnels and command centers within the compounds. Critics of the military’s actions argue that the raids have endangered civilians and disrupted an already overwhelmed health sector in Gaza, which is struggling to cope with the high number of war wounded. The recent raid on Shifa Hospital is not the first time the Israeli military has targeted the medical facility, as a similar raid took place in November where a tunnel was found running beneath the hospital.
The conflict in Gaza began in October when Hamas-led terrorists launched an attack on southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the taking of hostages. In response, Israel initiated an extensive offensive involving air, land, and sea operations, resulting in the deaths of over 32,000 Palestinians, the displacement of the majority of the population, and pushing a third of residents to the brink of famine. The ongoing conflict has created a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with hospitals, including Shifa Hospital, facing challenges in providing medical care to the wounded amid the destruction caused by the raids. The situation in Gaza remains volatile, with residents facing ongoing threats to their safety and well-being as the conflict persists.
