The Puck Drop: Siege on Gaza’s al-Shifa Hospital Enters Third Day
The Israeli military’s raid on Gaza’s al-Shifa Hospital has entered its third day, with reports of 90 people killed during the siege. Survivors in the hospital have recounted harsh detentions, humiliation, and abuse at the hands of Israeli soldiers during the storming of the complex.
Hamas has condemned the attack on al-Shifa as a “bloody massacre,” stating that civilians, patients, and displaced people were among the fatalities. The hospital, which housed over 7,000 patients and displaced individuals before the attack, saw over 160 individuals detained by the Israeli military for further investigation.
Displaced Palestinians have described being fired upon by soldiers, forced to strip, and interrogated during their detention inside the complex. Meanwhile, the Israeli shelling in Gaza City continues, with many civilians killed while fleeing the attacks.
This is not the first time al-Shifa Hospital has been targeted by Israel. In November, the hospital was raided under the claim that Hamas was using tunnels beneath the facility as command and control centres.
In addition to the siege on al-Shifa, attacks on the Nuseirat and Bureij refugee camps in Gaza have left at least 35 people dead and many others injured. These refugee camps are among several densely populated areas in Gaza, housing a majority of the population comprised of refugees and their descendants.
The ongoing violence in Gaza has sparked international outcry, with calls for an end to the bloodshed and a return to peaceful negotiations between Israel and Palestine. The situation remains dire as civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict in the region.
