The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) stormed anew the Al-Shifa Medical Complex, west and north of Gaza City, at dawn Monday amid heavy gunfire, leaving several Palestinians killed and injured.
Under intense fire cover, Israeli tanks and military vehicles unexpectedly entered areas west of Gaza City and besieged the Al-Shifa Medical Complex, housing thousands of displaced, ill, and injured individuals amid heavy use of artillery shells and drones.
The ongoing storming of the hospital was accompanied by drone flights.
The IOF troops targeted the hospital, leaving several dead and injured among the displaced people, whose bodies are still in the courtyards of the hospital and the roads surrounding it.
“The Israeli occupation army stormed the Al-Shifa Medical Complex with tanks, heavily armed soldiers, and drones, since the early hours of dawn,” stated the government media office (GMO) in Gaza.
The GMO added that the occupation forces “opened fire inside the hospital, sparking fear and panic among the wounded, sick and displaced people in a new Israeli war crime added to the already-dark record of the occupation army—which continues to carry out numerous atrocities and massacres”.
According to the GMO, the IOF raid into the hospital was a “war crime, confirming the Israeli occupation’s deliberate intention to destroy hospitals and eliminate the health sector.”
Furthermore, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reported that following the occupation forces’ invasion of Al-Shifa Medical Complex, all communication was lost.
The PRCS went on to say that Al-Shifa Medical Complex is being targeted even though it has recently partially resumed operations, saying that the occupation has disregarded international calls for the protection of medical personnel and facilities.
The occupation forces have now invaded the Shifa Medical Complex twice since the Gaza Strip conflict started on 7 October. They stormed it for the first time on the 16 November after a one-week siege.
Then, Israeli forces withdrew from the hospital on November 24, after destroying its courtyards, parts of its buildings, medical equipment, in addition to the hospital’s electricity generator.
In light of the recent storming of the Al-Shifa Medical Complex, the international community must move quickly to protect patient rights, guarantee that they receive the necessary medical care, and hold the Israeli occupation accountable for violating human rights and international humanitarian law, which mandates the safety of hospitals and their staff during hostilities.
Since October 7, 2023, the IOF has been waging a devastating war on the Gaza Strip, resulting in catastrophic humanitarian and health conditions, due to the continuous bombing and the prevention of supplies of food, water, medicine, and electricity.
The Israeli occupation destroyed the only supplies of fuel, electricity, water, and food for the people of the Gaza Strip at the start of the conflict by bombing bakeries, factories, stores, water stations, tanks, and other infrastructure.
