Crisis at Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital Worsens
The once efficient and well-appointed Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, which serves as the city's main medical facility (500 beds, MRIs, dialysis, and intensive care unit), has now transformed into an almost unrecognizable site. BBC News, citing data from the World Health Organization (WHO), reported that corpses are now piling up within its walls with dogs even scavenging the remains.
According to Israeli sources, there are allegations that Hamas terrorists have utilized the hospital for military purposes. Consequently, a vast underground command center was built beneath the hospital, connected by an extensive network of tunnels.
Despite Israel agreeing to evacuate hospital staff and patients, as well as providing incubators for infants, Hamas spokespeople contend that Israeli forces have fired upon evacuees. They argue that transporting the most vulnerable patients was too dangerous due to the situation and lacked evidence to back up their claims.
In the weeks prior, hospital staff had been treating wounded patients, including children, without anesthesia as valuable medical supplies ran low. During this time, a photo was published by the hospital's Ministry of Health, controlled by Hamas, showing around a dozen premature babies lying on a single bed, wrapped in blankets to maintain warmth.
On Saturday, the hospital reported a shortage of fuel for essential operations. According to the health authorities, at least 32 patients, including three newborns, had died, and an additional 36 babies were at risk of death due to life-saving equipment failure. However, the information could not be independently verified or confirmed.
As the Israeli army announced preparations to evacuate the ailing babies if Hamas granted permission, it became clear that the fuel provided for the hospital had not yet been collected several days later. Israel argued that Hamas terrorists were obstructing medical personnel from obtaining the necessary supplies.
Under international law, hospitals are afforded special protection during conflicts. Nevertheless, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, hospitals risk losing this protection if fighters use them as hiding places or weapons caches.
Throughout the ongoing conflict, Israel has presented photos and videos revealing weapons and other military installations within or near mosques, schools, and hospitals. By Monday evening, the Israeli armed forces' top military spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, demonstrated footage of a Hamas weapons cache unearthed in the Rantisi Children's Hospital's basement in Gaza.
Since the outbreak of the conflict, tens of thousands of Palestinians have sought refuge on Al-Shifa Hospital grounds. However, following the outbreak of intense house-to-house fighting, most have relocated to the southern region.
According to the hospital's staff, around 650 patients and 500 employees still remain on the premises, with the hospital's operations at a standstill. This data is not independently verifiable or confirmed either. Additionally, around 2,500 civilians are said to be housed there with limited food and water resources.
Stance of the Israeli Army
US President Joe Biden commented on the situation, emphasizing the urgent need for Shifa Hospital's protection during the conflict, while expressing hope for a less aggressive approach by the Israeli armed forces. "I believe and assume that the Israeli armed forces will act less aggressively," Biden said in the Oval Office.
The Israeli army acknowledged the complexity of the situation but stressed that Hamas terrorists should not expect immunity. "We have no intention of taking control of the hospitals. We aim to dismantle their infrastructure," said Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, an Israeli army spokesperson.
"We will go in, complete our objectives, and leave," he concluded, leaving the ultimate appearance of the situation uncertain.
