Click to see full-size image. (The Israeli Defense Forces)
The government media office in the Gaza Strip announced on November 15 that the death toll from Israeli strikes since the war broke out on October 7 has risen to 11,500, including 4,710 children and 3,160 women.
“The number of deaths among medical personnel has reached 200,” the office said in a statement on Telegram.
The office, which is run by the ruling Hamas Movement, added that 22 civil defense personnel and 51 journalists have also been killed, while the number of wounded people in Gaza has reached 29,800, with about 70% of them children and women.
It also revealed that 95 government buildings and 255 schools have been destroyed. Some 74 mosques were completely destroyed and 162 were partially damaged, in addition to three churches.
In addition, 52 health centers and 55 ambulances were targeted while 25 hospitals have run out of service, according to the office.
“Israeli soldiers attacked many patients, wounded individuals, and displaced people, as well as several medical and nursing staff inside al-Shifa Medical Complex, forcing them to undress and subjecting them to insults,” the office added.
After besieging it for days, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on November 15 raided al-Shifa. Israeli officials claimed more than once that Hamas’ main military command center was located under the hospital. Nevertheless, video footage released by the IDF showed only some light weapons which were allegedly found in one of the hospital’s rooms.
Al-Jazeera reported that an entire building at al-Shifa, the specialized surgeries building, was completely damaged from the inside as a result of the Israeli attack and said that the IDF also blew up a warehouse for medicine and medical equipment.
Meanwhile, there are reports of some 200 people being blindfolded and interrogated and taken to unknown areas. The fate of these people remains unknown.
The Gaza government office held “the Israeli occupation (forces) and the international community, especially the United States, fully responsible for the organized war crimes committed by the occupation army against hospitals” and called for “the immediate opening of the Rafah crossing and the entry of aid.”
Despite the poor humanitarian situation in Gaza, the IDF continues its operations in the Strip under the political cover provided by the United States and other Western countries. Even a temporary ceasefire that would allow for the release of some of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas does not appear to be near.
