Israeli army operation underway in al-Chifa hospital, A senior Hamas administration official claims to see “tanks” and “commandos” in the hospital complex.
The Israeli army announced that it was carrying out a “targeted” and precision operation against Hamas in a specific sector of al-Chifa hospital. On the 40th day of the war, tanks entered the hospital complex, dozens of soldiers and commandos descended on the emergency room and reception, witnesses say, while 10,000 Palestinians, medical staff, patients and displaced people are on site . A site considered militarily strategic by Israel and the United States.
Hours earlier, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, speaking from a plane, also argued that Hamas and Islamic Jihad were using al-Chifa hospital as a command and control center:
“I can confirm to you that we have information that Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad are using certain hospitals in the Gaza Strip, including al-Chifa, and the tunnels underneath, to conceal and support their military operations and to detain Israeli hostages.”
During the day, the Hamas health ministry called for a ceasefire to evacuate dozens of premature babies who did not have working incubators. After several days of airstrikes around the hospital, the electricity is still cut.
The hospital director said the bodies of 179 people had to be buried in a mass grave because of the smell. The morgues are no longer refrigerated.
The situation in other hospitals in Gaza is also dire.
The UN says 22 of 36 hospitals are not functioning due to generator failures, damage and fighting. The 14 hospitals that remain open barely have enough equipment to carry out life-saving surgeries.
Raed Baker, a Palestinian displaced from the Beach refugee camp, testifies to the prevailing insecurity:
“I heard the sound of bombings and ended up in the hospital. They say these are safe zones. There are no safe zones in Gaza, no markets, no parks, no schools, no hospital.”
Hamas continues to deny Israeli accusations that it uses hospitals, particularly al-Chifa, to conceal or support its military operations and to hold hostages.
Additional sources • AFP
