After a 14-day siege, Israeli military forces have withdrawn from the Al-Shifa medical complex in Gaza City. The civil defense spokesperson on the scene, Captain Mahmoud Bassal, described the situation as dire, with injured and dead bodies filling the hospital grounds. He mentioned that bodies were even buried in the hospital yards.
More than 30 wounded individuals were transferred from Al-Shifa to the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital east of Gaza City. Bassal reported that Al-Shifa has been completely destroyed and burned down, with many buildings either destroyed or charred. Images from the area depict widespread destruction, with charred and pockmarked buildings within the complex.
This recent raid marks the second time the IDF has targeted Al-Shifa, despite having previously claimed to have dismantled Hamas' command structure in northern Gaza. The IDF stated that they were conducting precise operational activities against terrorists during the siege, a statement that mirrored their actions in the November raid.
While the IDF asserted that civilians, patients, and medical teams were evacuated during the operation, Palestinians in and around Al-Shifa reported civilian casualties and arrests. Israel has long maintained that Hamas fighters seek refuge in civilian locations like mosques and hospitals to evade Israeli attacks, a claim that Hamas has consistently denied.
