Israeli forces have vacated Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City following a fortnight-long operation, as confirmed by the Israeli military on Monday.
The aftermath reveals a landscape of the area being devastated, with demolished structures and Palestinian casualties strewn across the hospital grounds.
In the wake of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas group, which governs Gaza, a surge of residents flocked to the vicinity of the Gaza Strip’s primary medical facility to assess the impact on adjacent residential areas.
The Israeli military asserts that it engaged in skirmishes within the hospital vicinity, resulting in the elimination and capture of numerous militants, alongside the confiscation of weapons and intelligence materials.
Conversely, Hamas and medical personnel refute any claims of armed presence by Palestinian fighters within hospital premises.
According to a spokesperson for Gaza’s Civil Emergency Service, Israeli forces allegedly executed two individuals discovered at the complex in restraints and employed bulldozers to excavate sections of the grounds, unearthing buried bodies.
Reuters could not confirm the allegations of executions, and Israel’s military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Unverified footage circulating on social media depicted the grim scene surrounding Al Shifa Hospital. The images revealed the bodies of deceased Palestinians, some draped with soiled blankets, strewn across the ground amidst the hospital’s charred remains.
Many of the outer walls of the hospital were conspicuously absent, adding to the scene of desolation.
The footage further showcased the extensively disrupted grounds, with numerous structures adjacent to the facility either flattened or engulfed in flames.
In unrelated news, Turkey’s opposition celebrated significant victories in local elections held nationwide on Sunday.
“I haven’t stopped crying since I arrived here, horrible massacres were committed by the occupation here,” lamented Samir Basel, 43, communicating with Reuters via a messaging application as he surveyed the ruins of Al Shifa.
“The place is destroyed, buildings have been burnt and destroyed. This place needs to be rebuilt – there is no Shifa hospital anymore,” Basel added.
Israel maintained that operations conducted within Al Shifa were carried out “with a focus on averting harm to civilians, patients, and medical personnel.”
