“There is evidence of use as a Hamas command center.”
Implemented within hours of White House announcement… Hamas: “US gives signal of brutal massacre”
“Removing a premature baby from a frozen incubator… “I tried my best to maintain body temperature by wrapping myself in foil.”
The Israeli military conducted a surprise raid on Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical institution in the Gaza Strip, in the early morning of the 15th. Israel has claimed that this hospital is home to Hamas’ operational command and control center, and the operation began within a few hours when the White House also stated, “There is evidence that Hamas used the hospital facilities.”
Al-Shifa Hospital, which had been threatening the lives of patients due to lack of fuel, power, and drinking water, was thrown into an even more serious crisis due to this airstrike. The United States is proposing a plan to evacuate hospital patients in the Gaza Strip, including Al Shifa Hospital, through a third party out of concern for civilian casualties, but is being criticized for actually supporting the Israeli military’s attack.
The Israeli military said in a statement around 2 a.m. that day, “We are carrying out a precision-targeted strike operation against Hamas in a specific area within Al-Shifa Hospital,” and “We are asking Hamas members to surrender.” He continued, “We have warned in recent weeks that if Hamas uses the hospital for military purposes, the hospital may lose its protected status under international law.” Regarding concerns about civilian casualties, he added, “The ground forces (in operation) also include soldiers, medical teams, and Arabic interpreters who have been specially trained to deal with complex environments.”
Citing medical staff at the hospital, CNN reported, “Israeli troops advanced toward the hospital with tanks.” A Gaza health official told Al Jazeera, “Israeli forces began searching the basement of Al-Shifa Hospital and entered the hospital’s operating room and emergency room. Some people were shot while trying to escape from the hospital.”
Currently, hundreds of patients, medical staff, and thousands of refugees are staying at Al Shifa Hospital. The basement of this hospital has been consistently pointed out by the Israeli military as where Hamas’ operational command and control center is located. In addition, John Kirby, Strategic Communications Coordinator for the White House National Security Council (NSC), also confirmed on the 14th, “We have confirmed information that Hamas is using Al-Shifa Hospital as a command and control center, storing weapons and detaining hostages there. “This is a war crime.” The day before, the Israeli military also released a video of an underground search at Rantisi Hospital in the Gaza Strip and said, “We found traces of military operations and hostage detention.”
The operation was carried out just hours after the White House said, “There is evidence that Hamas used the al-Shifa hospital as a command and control center and also stored weapons.” In response, Hamas strongly protested, saying that the claim was false and that “the United States gave the ‘green light’ for the Israeli military to commit even more brutal massacres targeting hospitals.”
Meanwhile, 15 people, including infants and patients, died at Al-Shifa Hospital as the hospital lost power due to a lack of fuel and ran out of medical supplies. Officials who observed inside the hospital said, “This airstrike has made the situation at Al-Shifa Hospital even more catastrophic.”
According to CNN, a doctor at the hospital said, “The Israeli army issued an evacuation warning just 30 minutes before the operation. We were asked to stay away from windows and balconies, and soon we heard the sound of armed tanks.” Another official said, “There is now almost no milk, water or food for children to drink. “Everyone in the hospital is starving,” he said.
In particular, hospital officials are said to be working hard to save the lives of premature babies by taking them out of incubators that have stopped working, wrapping their bodies in foil and placing them next to hot water to maintain their body temperature. Other hospitals in the Gaza Strip are also in a similar desperate situation. According to Gaza health authorities, only one of the region’s 30 hospitals is operating normally.
As criticism from the international community intensified due to the escalating humanitarian crisis, the Israeli military claimed, “Before the airstrike, we tried to evacuate patients and medical staff and created a safety route for them.” Citing an anonymous source at the NSC, Reuters reported, “The U.S. government’s position is that it does not support attacks on hospitals and that patients must be protected.”
Meanwhile, Reuters reported that Israel approved the import of 24,000 liters of fuel for some trucks to be used by relief organizations in the Gaza Strip. However, citing a source from an aid organization, “This fuel is not intended to be used in hospitals. “It is still unclear how the fuel will be delivered to the interior of the Gaza Strip,” the report said.
Cairo =
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.