The largest hospital in the Gaza Strip is increasingly becoming the focus of the fighting. There is a lot of information circulating from both sides about the situation on site. An overview.
The Shifa Hospital is currently at the center of the war in the Gaza Strip. Due to a lack of fuel, the largest clinic in the sealed-off coastal area had to stop operations. According to eyewitnesses, thousands of people are still stuck in the facility. There is heavy fighting in the immediate vicinity of the building. It is considered strategically important in Israel because the army suspects it to be the command center of the Islamist Hamas. What we know about the clinic and the local situation – and what we don’t:
Why is the hospital the focus of the fighting?
The Israeli military accuses the terrorist organization Hamas of hiding its main command center under the building. The army said it presented intelligence information about this around three weeks ago. Satellite images and an audio recording are intended to document the existence of the Hamas camp. However, the information could not be independently verified. Hamas and hospital staff deny the accusation.
According to Israeli media reports, some of the 240 hostages kidnapped by Hamas could also be in the suspected tunnel system under the clinic. So far, no Israeli representative has officially commented on the suspicion.
What role does the extensive tunnel system play?
According to Israel, the Shifa clinic is connected to Hamas’s kilometer-long underground tunnel network. There will also be several entrances within the clinic. A former Israeli secret service employee told the New York Times that hundreds of people could be hiding in the rooms beneath the clinic. Accordingly, Israel assumes that meeting rooms, living rooms and storage rooms were built on several floors underground.
The military did not provide any comprehensive evidence of this. According to experts, the extent of the tunnel system in Gaza is controversial. It’s also largely a black box for the military. There is often talk of hundreds of tunnels with a total length of 500 kilometers. The tunnel system will be connected to the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
Will Israel’s army take over the hospital?
Following the October 7 Hamas massacre in Israel, the country has set itself the goal of “completely eliminating” the terrorist organization’s military capacity. Experts therefore believe that a military operation in the clinic is likely. Army spokesman Richard Hecht said a decision on “how and when” had not yet been made. The troops would first have to “go in and see what’s there.” The “ultimate goal” is for Hamas to surrender. But no one in Israel expects that.
It is also unclear whether and how many Hamas members could actually have holed up under the clinic. The Israeli military did not provide any information. There is no information about this from Palestinian sources either. In total, Hamas is said to have had between 30,000 and 40,000 fighters before the start of the war. It is not known how many Hamas members have been killed since then.
How many people are in the building?
More than 2,000 patients, displaced persons and medical staff are said to still be in the hospital with around 700 beds. According to the World Health Organization, there are between 600 and 650 patients, around 1,500 people seeking protection and between 200 and 500 clinic employees. The information is based on estimates from the local Ministry of Health, which is controlled by Hamas. Eyewitnesses confirmed the numbers.
According to Palestinian reports, around 50,000 people had previously sought refuge in the hospital area. Dozens of makeshift tents had been erected outside the building, as shown in photos and videos. A clinic employee reported that the majority of the displaced people have now fled further south.
What is the situation on site?
Employees at the Schifa Clinic report dramatic scenes. The last oxygen machine was switched off on Monday night, said the clinic’s director, Mohammad Abu Salamia. The lack of fuel and food has already led to the deaths of dozens of patients, said the Health Ministry, which is controlled by Hamas. Seven newborns are said to be among the dead. Pictures on social networks are said to show the dead babies. When and where the recordings were taken is unclear.
Does Israel supply fuel for the generators in Shifa?
Israel recently stated that Shifa Hospital refused to accept fuel. Footage distributed by the military showed soldiers placing around a dozen canisters containing a total of 300 liters of fuel near Shifa Hospital. According to the head of the clinic, the team feared that they would be shot at if they left the clinic. In addition, the amount would not be enough for “fifteen minutes” to operate the hospital generators. He dismissed Israel’s claims that the rejection came under pressure from Hamas as “lies and defamation.” If Israel really wanted to deliver fuel, it could have sent it in cooperation with the Red Cross or another international organization, he said.
What’s next for the hospital?
Further developments are completely unclear. According to the clinic, it is “impossible” to evacuate all patients. The head of the clinic has already warned of a further deterioration of the situation and numerous deaths if the situation does not change.
It remains to be seen whether Israeli soldiers will enter the hospital even if there are civilians inside. Israel’s military said it wanted to help evacuate the babies. However, steps in this direction were not foreseeable on Monday. The army has not yet provided any information about the evacuation of the other patients, some of whom were seriously injured.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
