Click to see full-size image. (the Israeli Defense Forces)
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stormed early on November 15 al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, where thousands of civilians, including medical staff and patients, have been trapped for the last few weeks.
In an initial statement, the IDF said that it had launched an “operation “in a certain part” of the hospital, which allegedly hosts the main military command center of the Hamas Movement.
“The operation is based on intelligence information and operational need,” said the statement. “The operation is not meant to harm patients, medical staff or citizens in the hospital.”
Ahead of the statement, Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry told the Qatari state broadcaster Al Jazeera that it was informed by the IDF they will imminently storm al-Shifa Hospital.
Later, a spokesman for the IDF told CNN that the hospital was not being occupied, asserting Israeli troops are just conducting a “precise and targeted operation against a specific location… in order to defeat Hamas and perhaps rescue hostages.”
“Our goal is to bring [the hostages] home. Our goal is to seek out Hamas wherever they are hiding,” Lieutenant Colonel (reserve) Peter Lerner said, describing the hospital as “perhaps even the beating heart” of the group’s operations.
In its first response, Hamas accuses United States President Joe Biden of being “wholly responsible” for an Israeli army operation at Gaza’s largest hospital.
“We hold the occupation (Israel) and President Biden wholly responsible for the assault on the al-Shifa medical complex,” Hamas said in a statement.
Youssef Abul Reesh, an official from Gaza health ministry who is inside the hospital, said that he saw Israeli tanks inside the complex and “dozens of soldiers and commandos inside the emergency and reception buildings.”
Videos from the hospitals showed chaos as medical staff and refugees were rushing to move patients, including premature babies, as Israeli troops moved in.
Several hours into the operation, the IDF claimed that its troops found weapons and Hamas assets inside the hospital without presenting any evidence. It also admitted that there were no indications of Israeli hostages currently being held there.
Despite facing much criticism, an unnamed Israeli security official said that the operation at al-Shifa Hospital will be widened if necessary.
“We are starting small, and the operation will expand as necessary,” the official told Army Radio. “The entry of troops into al-Shifa is more of a challenge for media [optics] than operations.”
“The decision was that we enter al-Shifa only if we know exactly what is there and where it is, as we did at Rantisi Hospital, which was only [raided] when we knew exactly what was in its basement,” the official added.
The IDF reached the vicinity of al-Shifa Hospital last week. However, they sustained some losses. On November 14 alone, two soldiers were killed. Their death brought the number of Israeli troops killed since the start of ground operations in Gaza to 48.
The Israeli success around the hospital is partly the result of Hamas and other armed factions refraining from clashing with the IDF in the civilian-packed area. The Palestinian will likely show more resistance as Israeli troops advance towards other areas in Gaza. Although the fall of the city is very likely.
