Thousands trapped as Israeli forces raid al-Shifa hospital in Gaza Strip

File Photo/AFP

Israeli forces have conducted raids on Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, the largest medical complex in the Strip, where thousands of people have sought refuge. A doctor within the facility told Al Jazeera that the Israeli incursion has instilled fear among patients, displaced individuals, and health workers.

Despite denials from Hamas, Israeli accusations persist that hospitals in Gaza, including Al-Shifa, are being used as command centers. Hamas, in turn, accuses Israel and the United States of attempting to justify what it calls "brutal massacres."

The death toll continues to rise, with over 11,300 Palestinians reported killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza since October 7. Meanwhile, in Israel, the official death toll from Hamas attacks has surpassed 1,200.

Amid the chaos, an Al-Shifa Hospital doctor told news wire Reuters that gunfire from outside the hospital is compelling staff to stay away from windows following the Israeli raid. The doctor vehemently denies Israeli accusations that Hamas is utilizing the hospital as a command center.

In another development, Israeli air raids on homes in Gaza City's Sheikh Radwan neighborhood over the past few days have resulted in the death of at least 25 Palestinians, according to media reports. An Al Jazeera correspondent from Wafa highlighted that the majority of the victims were women and children.

Al Jazeera has interviewed an individual within the medical complex who stated, "Israeli forces have tried to kill anyone moving inside... No one has done anything. We don't have any kind of resistance inside the hospital." The person also refuted claims, particularly from some American reports, about the existence of a network of tunnels within the hospital, asserting that this information is untrue.

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The Israeli military maintains that its operation in Shifa Hospital is "precise and targeted against Hamas in a specified area." However, there has been no concrete evidence presented to substantiate allegations of Hamas operating from within Al-Shifa Hospital.

Mohammed Zaqout, the director of hospitals in Gaza, conveyed the distressing situation inside the medical facility, stating that patients, including children, are terrified after the Israeli forces stormed the buildings. He expressed helplessness, mentioning, "They are screaming. It's a very terrifying situation... we can do nothing for the patients but pray."