Israeli army says it ended military operation at Al-shifa Hospital in Gaza
Gaza City, Palestine - The Israeli army said on Monday that it wrapped up its military operation at the Al-shifa Hospital complex in Gaza City, following a 14-day siege and incursion that resulted in scores of casualties and hundreds of arrests.
A military statement said that the army and the General Security Service (Shin Bet) ended the operation in the hospital, and the forces withdrew from it.
It also said that a soldier was killed in the operation.
Earlier, eyewitnesses told Anadolu the army withdrew from inside the Al-shifa Hospital and the surrounding areas west of Gaza City, leaving scores of casualties and extensive destruction in the hospital and its vicinity.
Israeli forces also burned the buildings of the kidney and maternity wards, mortuary refrigerators, and cancer and burn facilities, and destroyed the outpatient clinic building, according to the witnesses.
According to Palestinian medical sources, the hospital is now completely out of service and the army destroyed all medical equipment in the complex, operation rooms, and intensive care units.
The witnesses also reported that scores of scattered bodies were found in the hospital and in the streets surrounding it.
Meanwhile, the army said it continued incursion into the central and southern areas of the Gaza Strip.
“In central Gaza, an attack helicopter carried out a strike on a building used by Hamas and another building that was booby-trapped and had been used by Hamas operatives to observe troops,” Times of Israel quoted a military statement.
“Troops of the Commando
Brigade and Givati Brigade are continuing to battle Hamas in the al-amal neighbourhood,” it added.
The Israeli army raided the hospital, the largest medical facility in the Gaza Strip that houses thousands of patients and displaced people, on March
18.
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had urged Israel on Sunday to urgently enable access to AlShifa Hospital in Gaza and establish a humanitarian corridor.
“We urge Israel to urgently
facilitate access and a humanitarian corridor so WHO and partners can carry out the lifesaving transfer of patients,” Tedros said on X.
He said 21 patients have died since Al-shifa Hospital came under siege, with hostilities continuing in its vicinity according
to updates from a health worker at the facility.
“107 patients are in an inadequate building, within the hospital compound, lacking needed health support, medical care and supplies. Patients have been moved multiple times within the hospital compound since the siege began.
“Among the patients are four children and 28 critical patients lacking necessary means of care - no diapers, urine bags, water to clean wounds. Many have infected wounds and are dehydrated,” he added.