Gaza’s largest hospital, the Al-Shifa complex in Gaza City, was attacked yesterday, according to WAFA, the official Palestinian news agency. Israel bombs hit the outpatient building. Dozens were killed and injured, mostly women and children
As of today, Gaza’s Ministry of Health told CNN that Al-Shifa was now “out of service”; that the heavy shelling of the surgical building’s fifth floor has almost restricted movement of medical staff within the complex; and that the complex is completely surrounded by Israeli forces. The Gaza Ministry of Health says that the hospital is under “complete siege.” The Israeli Defense Forces denies it, saying fighting is only nearby, and that anyone who needs to get out of the hospital may make arrangements with the IDF. Of course, the IDF’s rather broad definition as to what constitutes a member of Hamas may contribute to the sense of those within the hospital that they are trapped and under siege.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) stated: “The ambulances can no longer move to collect the injured, and non-stop bombardment prevents patients and staff from evacuating.”
A freelance journalist based at the hospital, Mustafa Sarsour, told CNN that “the shelling and gunfire” targets “anything that moves.” So, there are dozens of bodies at the hospital awaiting burial, but that people fear going outside to bury them. Inside the hospital, there is no electricity, and medical work is done by candlelight. “We are running out of canned food. The food is being rationed on patients and medical crews, and I have even seen doctors and nurses giving their own food to patients. … Now the electricity is cut off, people (have) started drinking the pipe water.”
