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DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — The Israeli navy withdrew from Gaza’s largest hospital early Monday after a two-week raid, abandoning a number of our bodies and an unlimited swath of destruction, based on Palestinian residents.
The navy has described the raid on Shifa Hospital as one of the profitable operations of the almost six-month struggle. It says it killed scores of Hamas and different militants, together with senior operatives who had regrouped there after an earlier raid, and that it seized weapons and helpful intelligence.
The U.N. well being company stated a number of sufferers died and dozens had been put in danger in the course of the raid, which introduced even additional destruction to a hospital that had already largely ceased to perform. The heavy combating confirmed that Hamas can nonetheless put up resistance even in one of many hardest-hit areas of Gaza.
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the highest navy spokesman, stated Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad group had established their predominant northern headquarters contained in the hospital. He described days of close-quarters combating inside completely different buildings, and blamed Hamas for the destruction, saying some fighters had barricaded themselves inside hospital wards whereas others launched mortar rounds on the compound.
He stated the troops had arrested some 900 suspected militants in the course of the raid, together with greater than 500 Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters, and seized over $3 million in numerous currencies, in addition to weapons.
He denied that any civilians had been harmed by Israeli forces, saying the military had evacuated greater than 200 of the estimated 300 to 350 sufferers and delivered meals, water and medical provides to the remaining.
Mohammed Mahdi, who was amongst a whole bunch of Palestinians who returned to the world, described a scene of “whole destruction.” He stated a number of buildings had been burned down and that he had counted six our bodies within the space, together with two within the hospital courtyard.
Video footage circulating on-line confirmed closely broken and charred buildings, mounds of filth that had been churned up by bulldozers and sufferers on stretchers in darkened corridors.
One other resident, Yahia Abu Auf, stated there have been nonetheless sufferers, medical employees and displaced folks sheltering contained in the medical compound after a number of sufferers had been taken to the close by Ahli Hospital. He stated military bulldozers had plowed over a makeshift cemetery in Shifa’s courtyard.
“The state of affairs is indescribable,” he stated. “The occupation destroyed all sense of life right here.”
Israel has accused Hamas of utilizing hospitals for navy functions and has raided a number of medical amenities. It says it launched the raid on Shifa after Hamas and different militants had regrouped there.
Well being officers in Gaza deny these allegations. Critics accuse the military of recklessly endangering civilians and of decimating a well being sector already overwhelmed with war-wounded. Palestinians say Israeli troops forcibly evacuated properties close to Shifa Hospital in downtown Gaza Metropolis and compelled a whole bunch of residents to march south.
At the least 21 sufferers have died for the reason that raid started, World Well being Group Director-Basic Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus posted late Sunday on X, previously Twitter.
He stated over 100 sufferers had been nonetheless contained in the compound, together with 4 kids and 28 crucial sufferers. He additionally stated there have been no diapers, urine baggage or water to wash wounds, and that many sufferers suffered from contaminated wounds and dehydration.
The navy had beforehand raided Shifa, Gaza’s largest hospital, in November, after saying Hamas maintained an elaborate command and management middle inside and beneath the compound. It revealed a tunnel operating beneath the hospital that led to some rooms, in addition to weapons it stated it had confiscated from inside medical buildings, however nothing on the dimensions of what it had alleged previous to that raid.
The struggle started on Oct. 7, when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 folks, largely civilians, and taking round 250 folks hostage.
Israel responded with an air, land and sea offensive that has killed at the least 32,782 Palestinians, based on Gaza’s Well being Ministry. The ministry doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants in its rely however says ladies and youngsters have made up round two-thirds of these killed.
The Israeli navy says it has killed over 13,000 Hamas fighters, and blames the civilian dying toll on Palestinian militants as a result of they combat in dense residential areas.
The struggle has displaced a lot of the territory’s inhabitants and pushed a 3rd of its residents to the brink of famine. Northern Gaza, the place Shifa is situated, has suffered huge destruction and has been largely remoted since October, resulting in widespread starvation.
Israel stated late final yr that it had largely dismantled Hamas in northern Gaza and withdrew 1000’s of troops. Nevertheless it has battled militants there on various events since then, and the 2 weeks of heavy combating round Shifa highlighted the endurance of the armed teams.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to maintain up the offensive till Hamas is destroyed and all the hostages are freed. He says Israel will quickly develop floor operations to the southern metropolis of Rafah, the place some 1.4 million folks — greater than half of Gaza’s inhabitants — have sought refuge.
However he faces mounting stress from Israelis who blame him for the safety failures of Oct. 7 and from some households of the hostages who blame him for the failure to succeed in a deal regardless of a number of weeks of talks mediated by the USA, Qatar and Egypt.
Hamas and different militants are nonetheless believed to be holding some 100 hostages and the stays of 30 others, after liberating a lot of the relaxation throughout a cease-fire final November in change for the discharge of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
Tens of 1000’s of Israelis thronged central Jerusalem on Sunday within the largest anti-government protest for the reason that nation went to struggle in October. Deep divisions over Netanayahu’s management lengthy predate the struggle, which nonetheless enjoys sturdy public assist.
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Magdy reported from Cairo and Goldenberg from Jerusalem.
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Discover extra of AP’s struggle protection at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
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