The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry reported that Israeli Defense Force (IDF) troops have withdrawn from Shifa Hospital in Gaza after launching a second raid on the medical center. The IDF confirmed the reports, stating that the troops killed terrorists and located weapons and intelligence documents while preventing harm to civilians, patients, and medical teams. Eyewitnesses said the troops withdrew under the cover of airstrikes and artillery fire. The military operation was launched on March 18 to target terror leaders and infrastructure, resulting in the capture of more than 500 members of terror groups and the deaths of roughly 200, including top commanders.
The IDF also conducted operations in Khan Yunis, where commando troops killed terrorists, conducted targeted raids on terrorist infrastructure, and apprehended suspects. More than 900 individuals were detained for questioning, and over 6,000 civilians were evacuated from the compound during the operation, according to Israeli army radio GLZ Rado. Around 350 patients and medical staff at Shifa Hospital were evacuated by the IDF to a designated compound within the complex, where they were provided with humanitarian aid and supplies. A spokesperson for the Gaza Civil Defense claimed that about 300 people were killed at the hospital by the IDF, including some who were reportedly handcuffed.
Shifa Hospital had been one of the few operational medical facilities in northern Gaza before the recent fighting. It had also been housing civilians displaced from their homes due to the conflict between Israeli forces and Hamas terrorists. International law designates medical facilities as protected sites during conflicts, but they lose that status if they are used for military activity. Israeli officials have accused Hamas of using such facilities as cover for terror operations and diverting humanitarian supplies meant for civilians to their fighters.
The IDF reported that more than 500 members of terror groups were captured and around 200 were killed during the operation at Shifa Hospital. Top commanders were among those killed, and weapons and intelligence documents were recovered. The military stated that the operation was carried out with precision to target terrorists. In Khan Yunis, commando troops killed terrorists in close-quarters encounters, raided terrorist infrastructure, and seized weapons, including explosive devices. The IDF’s actions were aimed at preventing harm to civilians and medical personnel while targeting terror leaders and infrastructure.
The World Health Organization has not commented on Hamas’ use of Gaza Hospital as a headquarters for terrorism. Protests have erupted in support of Palestine, with demonstrators interrupting a Berkeley City Council meeting and calling for an end to Israel. The ongoing conflict between Israeli forces and Hamas terrorists has led to civilian displacement, with medical facilities like Shifa Hospital struggling to provide care to those in need. The IDF’s actions in targeting terror leaders and infrastructure at the hospital have raised questions about the protection of medical facilities during conflicts and the use of such sites for military activities.
