Tel Aviv: The main hospital in Gaza, al-Shifa Hospital, has been left in ruins after the Israeli military’s two-week raid. The Israeli military withdrew from the Gaza Strip’s largest hospital, leaving behind scenes of destruction. After the withdrawal early on Monday, hundreds of people returned to al-Shifa Hospital and its surroundings, only to find devastation. Mohammed Mahdi, who went back to the area, described the scene as “completely destroyed.” He mentioned that several buildings were burnt down and he counted six bodies, including two in the hospital courtyard.
Yahia Abu Auf, another resident, stated that army bulldozers had destroyed a makeshift cemetery within the hospital compound, where patients, medical workers, and displaced people were taking shelter. Some patients were transferred to the nearby Ahli Arab Hospital. “The situation is beyond words,” Abu Auf said. “The occupation has shattered all signs of life here.”
Israel has accused Hamas of using hospitals for military purposes and has conducted raids on several medical facilities. Critics, however, argue that the Israeli military’s actions have put civilians at risk and severely impacted the already overwhelmed health sector dealing with war casualties. This isn’t the first time al-Shifa Hospital has been targeted; it was previously raided by the Israeli military in November.
