Amid its war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Israel has announced that its military is carrying out a "precise and targeted operation" at Al-Shifa Hospital.
Israel has alleged that Hamas has its headquarters burrowed deep underneath the largest medical complex in the enclave, with the militant group denying the claims.
Earlier in the day, it was reported that the Israeli military had officially notified the medical personnel of the hospital of its intention to storm the building. Huddled inside the largest medical facility in the besieged enclave, alongside hundreds of patients and staff, are reportedly several thousand people who have sought shelter there amid Israel’s relentless campaign.
Sputnik takes a look at what is known about Al-Shifa Hospital in the Gaza Strip.
Gaza's Largest Hospital
The sprawling complex that is the Dar al-Shifa Hospital comprises a group of buildings six stories high. This is the largest medical facility in Gaza, and before the Israeli campaign began, it was able to provide between 600 and 900 beds, and had thousands of staff. The hospital also became a shelter for Palestinians once Israel launched its strikes and then ground operation in retaliation for Hamas' attack on October 7.
Besides the strikes on the enclave, Israel has imposed a total siege on Gaza, which is home to some 2.3 million people, cutting it off from deliveries of food, water, electricity, and fuel. Accordingly, conditions inside Gaza’s hospitals, including Al-Shifa, have deteriorated rapidly. According to local health authorities, the medical facility is no longer considered operational, with doctors describing the situation for those still inside as “catastrophic.”
Over 11,000 people have died since Israel launched its operation targeting Hamas in Gaza, as per the enclave's health authorities, among them 4,650 children.
Why is Israel Targeting Gaza Hospital?
Under international humanitarian law, hospitals are protected against attacks in times of war. However, according to an Israeli statement, Hamas’ “continued military use of the Shifa hospital jeopardizes its protected status.”
Gaza is alleged of being home to a vast network of Hamas tunnels, and Al-Shifa Hospital has long been singled out by Israel as sitting on top of the militant group's headquarters. Earlier in its campaign, the Israeli military released 3D-rendered footage showing the alleged extent of a Hamas headquarters ostensibly located deep underneath Al-Shifa. The video, published by COGAT, a unit of the Ministry of Defense tasked with “coordinating civilian issues” between the government, military, international organizations, and the Palestinian Authority, shows an alleged massive underground complex, including a vast network of tunnels, conference rooms, arms and fuel caches, and even a makeshift weapons factory.
Alongside the rendered video, COGAT also published a map of the Shifa Hospital complex alongside what it says are underground Hamas facilities, including a command and control center.
On Tuesday, the Pentagon echoed Israel’s claims, and stated that “newly declassified intelligence” showed Hamas was using hospitals, including Al-Shifa, “to support their military operations.”
“Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad use some hospitals in the Gaza Strip, including Al-Shifa and tunnels underneath them, to conceal and to support their military operations and to hold hostages,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
Kirby refrained from adding details, but claimed that a “variety” of intelligence sources had supported these allegations.
Neither Israeli nor US claims have been independently verified.
'Massacres Against Civilians'
Hamas has dismissed the allegations. The group issued a statement blaming Israel and the United States for the raid on the Gazan hospital. The US had given Israel “a green light … to commit more massacres against civilians" by supporting Israel’s “false narrative,” Hamas stated.
It added:
“The silence of the United Nations and the betrayal of many countries and regimes will not deter our Palestinian people from clinging to their land and their legitimate national rights.”
Three hours before the Israel-announced raid on the medical facility, Dr. Ashraf Al-Qudra, spokesman for the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, issued a statement saying that any international observers were welcome to inspect the medical facilities at Al-Shifa Hospital.
“We are ready to receive any international institutions to vouch and confirm medical work at Al-Shifa Medical Complex,” he said.
"There are 1,500 medical staff members and around 7,000 displaced people inside Al-Shifa Medical Complex. We appeal to all countries to take urgent action to save the patients inside,” he added. Al-Qudra issued the statement while saying that Israeli military vehicles had surrounded the hospital complex, with shelling ongoing around the hospital.