Deir Al-Balah, Gaza Strip (BERITAPOLITIK.ONLINE) — Israel’s military has withdrawn from Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s largest medical facility, early Monday, April 01, 2024 after a two-week raid, during which it claimed to have eliminated around 200 militants and detained hundreds more. However, Palestinian residents have reported that the troops left behind numerous bodies and extensive destruction.
The military has hailed the raid on Shifa Hospital as a significant battlefield triumph in the nearly six-month-long conflict. Nonetheless, it coincided with escalating discontent within Israel, as tens of thousands of protesters gathered on Sunday, March 31, 2024 demanding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu take stronger action to secure the release of dozens of hostages held in Gaza. This marked the largest anti-government demonstration since the outset of the war.
The recent clashes demonstrated Hamas’s resilience even in heavily targeted areas. Israel had previously announced the dismantling of much of Hamas’s presence in northern Gaza and withdrew thousands of troops late last year, creating a security vacuum that hindered the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid.
In a new development, a second shipment of food aid arrived by sea on Monday, marking a test of a recently established maritime route from Cyprus, an island nation in the Mediterranean. One of the three boats was visible off the coast, with Cyprus’ Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos confirming permission for offloading. However, the exact method of delivery remained unclear.
According to the military, among those killed at Shifa Hospital were senior Hamas operatives and other militants who had regrouped there following a previous raid in November. The military also claimed to have seized weapons and valuable intelligence during the operation.
The United Nations health agency reported more than 20 patient deaths and dozens put at risk during the raid, exacerbating the destruction in a hospital that had already been severely incapacitated.
Bassel al-Hilou recounted finding the bodies of seven of his relatives amidst the wreckage near the hospital. He described a horrific scene, stating that after their house was bombed, they sought shelter at a neighbor’s home, only to be struck again.
While the exact number of civilian casualties during the raid remains uncertain, the military denied causing harm to civilians within the compound.
Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of exploiting hospitals for military purposes, leading to several raids on medical facilities. However, health officials in Gaza have refuted these allegations. Critics have accused the Israeli army of recklessly endangering civilians and further crippling an already overwhelmed healthcare system. Palestinians claim that Israeli troops compelled hundreds of people living near Shifa Hospital to evacuate to the south.
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the military’s top spokesman, alleged that Hamas and Islamic Jihad had established their main northern headquarters inside the hospital. He described days of intense fighting and attributed the destruction to Hamas, claiming that some fighters barricaded themselves inside hospital wards while others launched mortar rounds at the compound.
Hagari stated that during the raid, the army arrested approximately 900 suspected militants, including over 500 Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters, and confiscated over $3 million in various currencies along with weapons.
The military evacuated over 200 out of an estimated 300 to 350 patients and provided food, water, and medical supplies to the remaining individuals. Two Israeli soldiers lost their lives in the raid, alongside approximately 200 militants, according to military reports.
Residents who returned to the area described scenes of utter devastation, with buildings burned down and bodies strewn about. However, it remained unclear whether the bodies found around the hospital were from the recent raid or from earlier casualties in the war.
Video footage circulating online depicted severely damaged buildings, churned-up earth from bulldozers, and patients being evacuated through darkened corridors on stretchers.
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted the dire situation, noting the lack of essential supplies and the critical condition of many patients still within the compound.
The recent raid follows a previous incursion into Shifa Hospital in November, where the military claimed to have uncovered an extensive Hamas command center. However, subsequent investigations did not substantiate these claims to the degree initially asserted.
The war, which erupted on October 7, has exacted a heavy toll on both sides, with thousands of Palestinians killed and widespread displacement and suffering. The ongoing conflict underscores the urgent need for a lasting ceasefire and comprehensive peace negotiations to end the cycle of violence and suffering in the region.
