Israeli forces entered Gaza’s largest hospital on Wednesday, initiating a search of its rooms and basement, according to witnesses.
The incursion, resulting in a siege, has sparked global concern for the well-being of the numerous civilians trapped inside Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.
Israeli authorities claim that the ground operation is targeting a Hamas headquarters located in tunnels beneath the hospital, which they describe as the “beating heart” of Hamas operations.
However, Hamas denied this allegation.
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The focus of international attention has shifted to the hundreds of patients left without power for essential medical equipment and the thousands of displaced civilians who sought refuge in the hospital.
Gaza officials report that the encirclement by Israeli forces has led to the death of several patients, including three newborns, in recent days.
Israel contends that its troops engaged in a clash with fighters outside the hospital gates before entering. They assert that medical supplies, including incubators, baby food, and other necessities, were successfully delivered to Shifa Hospital.
The Israeli military stated, “Before entering the hospital, our forces were confronted by explosive devices and terrorist squads, and fighting ensued in which terrorists were killed. We can confirm that incubators, baby food, and medical supplies brought by IDF tanks from Israel have successfully reached the Shifa hospital. Our medical teams and Arabic-speaking soldiers are on the ground to ensure that these supplies reach those in need.”
According to Ahmed El Mohallalati, a surgeon at the hospital, staff members were in hiding during the overnight fighting.
He described the situation, saying, “So yesterday evening, it started… shooting around the hospital and within the hospital. And the sound was really horrible. Look, you can feel that it’s, you know, very near the hospital.
“And then we realized that the tanks were moving around the hospital. One of the big tanks entered the hospital premises from the eastern main gate, and they just parked in front of the hospital emergency department. All kinds of weapons were used around the hospital. They targeted the hospital directly. We tried to avoid being near the windows.”
Another witness inside the hospital, contacted by phone, reported that tanks entered the compound at 3:00 a.m., with Israeli troops dismounting, spreading out in the yard, and initiating searches of the basement and buildings. #Shifa Hospital
(REUTERS/NAN)