Israel Reported Hostage 5,000 People At Al Shifa Hospital In Gaza

PHOTO ILUSTRATION/MAY WHO Al Shifa hospital/PHOTO via news.un.org

JAKARTA - Israeli occupation forces on Thursday stormed the Al Shifa Hospital complex in Gaza City and took about 5,000 people hostage in it, including doctors, nurses, hospital staff, patients, refugees, reports to the Palestinian news agency WAFA.

The incident occurred Thursday evening local time, when hundreds of Israeli occupation soldiers stormed the hospital, after eight consecutive days surrounded the medical facility.

Hospital staff have asked the International Red Cross and other world organizations for protection.

WAFA reported that the situation inside the hospital was getting worse, there was no access to water, electricity, or food.

In addition, Israeli occupation forces opened fire on anyone who had moved inside the hospital, wounding a 12-year-old boy who was shot in the leg after trying to move.

The WAFA respondent reported by ANTARA on Thursday, November 16, confirmed Israeli occupation forces continued to surround hospitals with tanks and bulldozers, while Israeli soldiers continued to storm the site. The occupation forces not only stormed the hospital, but also destroyed medical equipment, including CT scans and MRI machines.

The northern and southern walls of the complex, hospital kitchens, and a number of vehicles belonging to staff and civilians were destroyed by Israeli bulldozers. The occupation forces have also paved all roads within a one-kilometer radius of the hospital, WAFA reported.

According to Anadolu news agency, Israeli soldiers blew up the basements of several buildings in the Al Shifa Hospital complex, after storming the hospital on Wednesday.

The Israeli military accused Hamas of having an underground command center hidden under the hospital. The accusations were denied by the Palestinian resistance group.

According to Gaza's state media office, about 1,500 medical staff, 700 patients, 39 premature babies, and 7,000 refugees are inside the Al Shifa Hospital complex.

The Al Shifa Hospital Complex, which is affiliated with the Palestinian Ministry of Health, is the largest health service complex in the Gaza Strip.

Founded in 1946 in Gaza, the complex has grown to become the main medical facility in the Palestinian pocket, employing 25 percent of all health workers in Gaza, WAFA said.