IMG SOURCE: Turkiyenewspaper.com
In the early hours of Monday, the Israeli military reportedly withdrew from Shifa Hospital, the principal medical institution in Gaza, after conducting a prolonged two-week operation. The aftermath of the military operation left a significant amount of wreckage, with locals describing the scene as “total destruction”.
Upon the military’s departure, hundreds of Gazans returned to the hospital and its vicinity, only to discover bodies both inside and outside the medical facility. The Israeli military, which has labeled the operation as one of the most successful in the ongoing conflict, did not immediately comment on the situation.
The Israeli army claims to have eliminated numerous Hamas militants and other terrorists during the operation, including some high-ranking officials. In addition to this, they have reportedly confiscated various weapons and obtained valuable intelligence.
Mohammed Mahdi, one of the returning residents, recounted the horrifying scene of destruction. He reported that multiple buildings had been razed to the ground. He found six bodies in the area, two of which were in the hospital courtyard.
According to another local, Yahia Abu Auf, some patients, medical staff, and displaced individuals were still seeking refuge within the hospital compound at the time of the military’s withdrawal. He also mentioned that some patients were transferred to the nearby Ahli Hospital.
Abu Auf added that military graders had demolished a temporary cemetery within the hospital compound, which had been created due to the ongoing conflict and the number of casualties.
Critics have accused the Israeli military of recklessly endangering civilians and devastating the health sector, which is already struggling to cope with the number of war casualties. Israel, on the other hand, has accused Hamas of using hospitals for military purposes, leading to several medical facilities being targeted and raided.
The Israeli military had previously conducted an operation at Shifa, Gaza’s largest hospital, in November. They claimed that Hamas had an extensive command and control center within and beneath the compound. During this operation, a tunnel leading to several rooms was discovered.
The ongoing conflict started on October 7, when Hamas-led militants launched an attack on southern Israel, leading to the death of approximately 1,200 individuals, primarily civilians, and around 250 people were taken hostage. In response, Israel initiated an air, land, and sea offensive, which has resulted in over 32,000 Palestinian casualties, massive displacement, and has pushed a third of the population towards the brink of famine.
