Tel Aviv — The Gaza Strip's Hamas-run Health Ministry says 13,000 people have been killed in the Palestinian territory since Israel launched its military campaign against Hamas in response to the group's bloody Oct. 7 terror attack
The health ministry said an Israeli shell struck the second floor of the hospital, killing at least 12 people, and a medical worker inside the facility, Marwan Abdallah, told the French news agency AFP in a phone interview — with gunfire audible in the background — that Israeli tanks had come within 200 yards of the hospital and military snipers could be seen on top of nearby buildings.
A spokesperson for the Hamas-run Health Ministry was quoted by AFP as saying about 600 patients, 200 health care workers and some 2,000 civilians displaced from their homes in the region were sheltering inside the facility.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have not yet confirmed any operations near the Indonesian Hospital. However, there is newfound hope for dozens of premature babies who were among the thousands of civilians trapped inside the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.
Starting from Saturday, the tiny babies, along with thousands of others, were evacuated from Al-Shifa. Israeli forces had entered the hospital compound to secure it and search for evidence of a hidden Hamas command center.
The newborn and premature infants were crammed into small battery-powered incubators and transported from Gaza City to the southern part of the strip. On Monday, Egyptian news outlets reported that 29 babies had been taken through the Rafah border crossing into Egypt for medical treatment. However, the World Health Organization stated that 28 babies were transferred to Egypt, while three remained in a maternity hospital in southern Gaza for treatment of serious infections.
Dr. Mohammad Zaqout, a doctor at Al-Shifa, revealed that eight of the infants who were brought out of the hospital did not survive the dire conditions they faced before being transferred.
Infants Suffering in Gaza Hospital Due to Fuel Shortages
Infants in Gaza's largest hospital have been suffering from severe symptoms including gastritis, dehydration, vomiting, diarrhea, sepsis, and hypothermia. These conditions were exacerbated by fuel shortages, which caused the hospital's incubators to malfunction in the days leading up to the transfers of the infants.
Israel Defense Forces Accuse Gaza Hospital of Being a Hamas Command Center
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), with support from the U.S. government, have long claimed that Gaza's largest hospital is being used as a command center by Hamas. The IDF recently released additional video evidence, including footage of a "fortified tunnel" that allegedly runs beneath the hospital complex. The tunnel is said to be 180 feet long and over 30 feet deep.
IDF Reveals Details of Soldier's Death at Shifa Hospital
The IDF has shared new information about the death of 19-year-old soldier Noa Marciano, who was found dead after being taken hostage by Hamas during a terror attack on October 7. The IDF spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, stated that Noa was murdered inside Shifa Hospital. The military also released a video from a security camera at the hospital, showing Hamas militants forcing two other hostages into the facility. The whereabouts of these individuals are currently unknown.
In the aftermath of a surprise attack by Hamas, a designated terror group by Israel, the U.S., and most of Europe, the Israeli military responded with force, resulting in the death of approximately 1,200 people. Now, after forty-five days, thousands of Palestinians, including those who are injured and critically ill, are desperately attempting to flee to southern Gaza by any means possible.
One of those who have embarked on this perilous journey is Paghad Abu Assy, an 11-year-old girl. Despite losing half of her friends in the conflict, she still holds onto the hope of a future where the war will end, allowing her to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor and completing her education.
