The Israeli military’s raid at Gaza’s main hospital has entered its second week, with the IDF reporting over 170 militants killed and hundreds detained in an operation that also affected civilians sheltering at the site. Israeli forces claimed the hospital was being used as a Hamas hub, with fighting also reported at other medical facilities in Gaza. The raid resulted in significant destruction at Al-Shifa Hospital, with reports of mass arrests and casualties among displaced civilians sheltering there. Hamas accused Israel of targeting civilians while the Israeli military said all those killed were Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants.
Video footage captured by NBC News’ crew provided a glimpse into the chaos at Al-Shifa Hospital, portraying buildings in ruins, blood splattered walls, and witness accounts of soldiers ordering people to exit areas of the hospital and removing their clothes. The IDF acknowledged detaining militants connected to Hamas’ October 7 attacks and accused Hamas of using the hospital as a base to fire mortars at Israeli forces. Witnesses also described tanks and armored vehicles entering the hospital courtyard, causing further destruction.
The IDF initially shared a photo montage of detained militants during the operation at Al-Shifa, only to later admit that some individuals in the montage had not been captured. World Health Organization Director-General condemned the conditions patients faced during the raid as “utterly inhumane.” Meanwhile, the IDF stated that patients were moved to a designated compound to prevent harm and provided medical supplies to the hospital. The military has been criticized for its tactics during the raid, with allegations of mistreatment and arrests of patients and medical workers.
In addition to Al-Shifa, the IDF was also reported to have stormed Al-Amal and Nasser hospitals in Khan Younis. The Palestine Red Crescent Society reported intense shelling and heavy gunfire around these facilities that caused evacuations. The assault on Al-Shifa came after a previous raid in November that saw thousands of displaced civilians fleeing the hospital alongside some medical workers and patients. The gruesome discovery of decomposing bodies of infants found after the raid in November led to international condemnation.
Experts have questioned Israel’s military tactics in Gaza, with criticism over the lack of a “clear, hold, build” approach to prevent enemy resurgence. Instead of focusing on stabilizing cleared territories to prevent Hamas from retaking control, Israel has been preparing for a major military operation in Rafah. The IDF claimed that the recent operation severely damaged Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups, but the long-term effects of the raids and the treatment of civilians and patients at Gaza’s hospitals remain under scrutiny by international organizations and critics.
