GAZA: Israeli forces stormed Gaza’s al-Shifa Hospital in a pre-dawn operation, alleging that it has been used by Palestinian resistance group Hamas to command attacks against Israel. The hospital, a crucial medical facility in the region, witnessed chaotic scenes as Israeli forces stormed the compound leaving thousands of Palestinian civilians trapped in the medical facility.
People sheltering in the hospital said Israeli forces backed by tanks and artillery had surrounded the medical complex and that snipers were shooting at people inside. They said the army raided a number of buildings and detained dozens of people.
According to reports from Gaza’s Ministry of Health, the raid resulted in a number of casualties and injuries among Palestinians. Witnesses reported that the hospital’s surgical building was engulfed in flames following Israeli bombings, exacerbating the already dire situation.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said the Israeli army was directing gun and missile fire at a building used for specialized surgeries. It said a fire broke out at the hospital’s gate. The ministry said around 30,000 people are sheltering at the hospital, including patients, medical staff and people who have fled their homes seeking safety.
Among those affected by the raid was Al Jazeera Arabic’s correspondent Ismail al-Ghoul, who was reportedly beaten and arrested by Israeli soldiers along with dozens of other persons within the hospital premises.
Abdel-Hady Sayed, a resident sheltering in the hospital for over three months, described a harrowing scene of people being trapped inside the facility as Israeli forces ordered evacuations through loudspeakers.
Meanwhile, Palestinian journalist Wadea Abu Alsoud, who found himself trapped inside the complex, described the situation as “catastrophic,” with intense bombing in the vicinity.
Israeli authorities defended their actions, stating that their forces encountered fire from within the hospital and responded with live fire. They issued a call for civilians near al-Shifa and the broader Remal neighbourhood of Gaza City to evacuate southward.
This marks the fourth Israeli raid on al-Shifa since October 7, with a previous siege in November prompting international condemnation. In response to the attack, the Government Media Office in Gaza denounced the operation as a “war crime,” accusing Israel of using fabricated narratives to justify its actions.
The Health Ministry in Gaza reported receiving distress calls from the area surrounding the hospital, indicating numerous casualties unable to reach medical assistance due to the intensity of gunfire and artillery shelling.
