Israeli soldiers have withdrawn from Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City after two weeks of intense fighting that left widespread devastation in its wake. The Israeli military reported that around 200 Palestinians were killed and hundreds more were arrested during the conflict.
The hospital, a vital medical facility in the region, suffered significant damage to its main buildings, including the emergency, obstetrics, and surgical wards. Dr. Taysir al-Tanna, a vascular surgeon at Al-Shifa, described the scene as a “wasteland” after the fighting subsided.
Mahmoud Basal, a spokesman for the Palestinian Civil Defense, reported that bodies were scattered in and around the complex, with the final death toll still unclear as some were buried under rubble. The Israeli military claimed that the Palestinians killed were militants, including senior commanders from groups like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the Israeli military spokesman, attributed the destruction to the militants who fortified themselves inside the hospital and fired on soldiers. The military evacuated displaced civilians and patients from the compound, but the Gaza Health Ministry reported that remaining patients were left without essential supplies.
This is not the first time Israeli forces have targeted Al-Shifa Hospital, alleging that Hamas militants used it as a base. Critics argue that Israel failed to provide sufficient evidence to support its claims. Hamas has accused Israel of committing a “horrific crime” with the support of the U.S. administration.
The White House expressed concern over Hamas’s activities within hospitals and their ability to quickly reconstitute within civilian infrastructure. The conflict highlights the challenges faced by Israel in targeting militants embedded in civilian areas.
The withdrawal of Israeli soldiers from Al-Shifa Hospital marks the end of a brutal chapter in the ongoing conflict in Gaza, but the scars of the fighting will linger for a long time to come.
