Israeli army leaves Al-Shifa hospital, the largest in the Gaza Strip

The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) announced this Monday (April 1, 2024) that they left the Al-Shifa hospital, the largest in the Gaza Strip, after a 2-week operation there. According to the statement, 500 suspected members of Hamas were arrested during the actions, while another 200 were killed.

A Al Jazeera (state broadcaster of the Qatari monarchy), the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, reported that hospital departments were found “set on fire”with “many bodies” scattered around the medical center. The Gaza Health Ministry, controlled by the extremist group, urged Palestinian residents to stay away from hospitals unless they are sick or injured.

“The situation is terrible, some members of the medical team were killed, others tortured, others detained. On top of that, the hospital was besieged for two weeks without medical supplies or even food or water.”said Raed al-Nims, representative of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.

The Israeli Army, however, speaks of “large quantities of weapons and intelligence documents” of Hamas seized throughout the hospital. He states that they came into direct conflict with extremists at the location and avoided “harm to medical personnel and patients”.

With the confirmation of the departure from Al-Shifa hospital, Hamas also spoke out. He said the space was left with the image of “martyrs with their hands tied and buried alive”. He held the United States government responsible for the impact of the actions in the Gaza Strip and asked the UN (United Nations) and the International Criminal Court to initiate proceedings “real” investigation of crimes committed in the medical complex.

The war between Tel Aviv and Hamas is heading into its 6th month with no resolution on the horizon. On March 25, the United Nations approved a ceasefire resolution, which should have been extended from March 10 to April 9 – a period that includes Ramadan, sacred to Muslims. Israeli authorities, however, said they will not adopt the determination.

As of Sunday (March 31), 33,237 Palestinians have died during the war in the Gaza Strip. On the Israeli side, there were 1,139 victims. The information is from Al Jazeera and cannot be independently verified.

Read the full press releases below:

IDF (Israel Defense Forces):

“Over the past two weeks, the IDF has conducted precise operational activities against terrorist operatives in Al-Shifa hospital in the Gaza Strip. Forces detained approximately 500 terrorists identified as affiliated with terrorist organizations and eliminated hundreds of terrorists in the Strip. The detained suspects were transferred for further interrogation to the ISA and Unit 504 of the Intelligence Directorate.

“The operation was carried out following precise information from ISA [Agência de Segurança Israelense, em português] and the Directorate of Intelligence about the activities of terrorist organizations in the area, including the use of Shifa as a command and control center and military headquarters.

“Forces found large quantities of weapons and intelligence documents throughout the hospital, encountered terrorists in hand-to-hand battles and engaged in combat, preventing harm to medical staff and patients.

“This morning (Monday), the mission was completed and the forces withdrew from the hospital area.

“The IDF and ISA will continue to operate against terrorist operatives throughout the Gaza Strip.”

Hamas:

“In light of what was revealed this morning following the withdrawal of the occupying terrorist army from the Al-Shifa Medical Complex and its surroundings, and the extent of the massive destruction that occurred there as a result of the machine of killing and terror, since the destruction of buildings, the burning and demolition of buildings, and the explosion of neighboring neighborhoods over the heads of residents. And of the effects of the horrible executions that were discovered, and of the bodies of martyrs with their hands tied and buried alive, or whose bodies decomposed and rotted, or of those who were trampled by tank tracks, and other atrocities. We, in the Hamas movement, affirm the following:

“1st: this horrible crime confirms the nature of this fascist entity that deviated from the values ​​of civilization and humanity and whose crimes and violations exceeded all limits, and that continues in its clear mission: to carry out the most heinous genocidal attacks against civilians and civil infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, without the world doing anything and with the full and unlimited support of the administration of US President Joe Biden.

“2nd: we consider the US government and President Biden personally fully responsible for the crimes, massacres and systematic destruction of civilian life in the Gaza Strip, especially the health sector and hospitals, which have occurred and are occurring with American weapons and all forms of military combat. and political support and support.

“3rd: The scale of destruction and slaughter on which the enemy excels; achieving this does not mean any victory over the will of our people, who cling to their land and their identity, and this barbaric attack on the Gaza Strip confirms once again the reality of what the enemy seeks to force our people to emigrate of their lands in implementing their plans to liquidate the Palestinian cause.

“4th: We call on the international community and the United Nations to condemn this terrible crime committed by the criminal Zionist enemy against the Al-Shifa Complex, its surroundings and the citizens there, and we demand that they take immediate measures to enter the City of Gaza and see the extent of the crime to which the region has been subjected.

“5th: We call on international judicial bodies, especially the International Criminal Court, to initiate real proceedings to investigate the crimes and atrocities that occurred in the Al-Shifa Medical Complex and its surroundings, and in all crimes that have occurred for 6 months , and dust off dozens of reports and requests to investigate Zionist crimes against our defenseless people. And fulfill the mission assigned to him of holding the leaders of this entity accountable and bringing them to justice.

“If we affirm that these crimes will not weaken the strength of our steadfast people and our valiant resistance, which confronts barbaric aggression with all heroism and redemption, then we call on the free peoples of the world and the masses of our Arab and Islamic countries to rise up yourself, intensify your movement to pressure this barbaric enemy and his supporters, and provide all forms of support to our Palestinian people and their resistance, until the aggression is broken and our people’s aspirations for freedom, independence and the recovery of lands and sanctities is achieved.”