Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet Security Forces executed a raid on al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, asserting control over the facility in an operation aimed at countering terrorist activities. The IDF reported the elimination of 20 “terrorists,” among them a high-ranking commander of Hamas’s internal security force, and the arrest of numerous suspects. Witnesses recounted intense firefights around the hospital, which currently shelters thousands of displaced individuals.
The health ministry in Gaza, controlled by Hamas, has accused Israel of committing war crimes through its actions. Despite assurances from the Israeli military that medical staff and patients were not required to evacuate and that the hospital’s crucial functions could continue, medical personnel inside reported severe operational disruptions. The hospital’s power was cut off, and staff were instructed to remain stationary. Dr. Amer Jedbeh, a surgical resident at the hospital, detailed the dire circumstances, including the death of patients due to the lack of power for essential medical equipment.
The IDF has advised civilians in nearby areas to relocate to a designated “humanitarian area” in al-Mawasi, near Rafah, for their safety. This raid adds to a series of controversial IDF operations against health facilities in Gaza amid the ongoing five-month conflict with Hamas.
The international community has expressed grave concerns over these developments. The director-general of the World Health Organization voiced alarm over the situation at al-Shifa, emphasizing the jeopardization of health services and the breach of international norms protecting medical facilities during conflicts.
Israel has repeatedly justified its actions by alleging that Hamas uses medical facilities, including al-Shifa, for military purposes. This claim is supported by the discovery of tunnels underneath the hospital and the use of other medical facilities for similar activities, according to Israeli forces. Hamas and health officials in Gaza have consistently denied these allegations.
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