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Al-Shifa Hospital siege
Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical complex in Gaza, was placed under siege by Israel in mid-November 2023 during the Gaza war, after saying it had contained a Hamas command and control center beneath it. The incident was followed by a second major raid by Israeli forces in March 2024.
On 11 November, the hospital was completely encircled, cutting it off from the rest of Gaza City. According to Gazan health officials, the hospital contained 1,500 patients, 1,500 medical workers and around 15,000 displaced people who were seeking shelter in the hospital. Both Israel and the United States have said that Hamas maintained command centers or command "nodes" below the hospital. Both the hospital's administration and Hamas denied that, with the former asking the international community to send security experts to verify the Israeli allegations. There were over 100 dead bodies placed in the courtyard and later buried by medical staff in a mass grave due to the siege. On 15 November, Israeli forces said they entered the hospital after killing militants outside, and that they had discovered a Hamas command centre, weaponry, and tactical gear.
After a media tour, The Guardian and CNN reported that the Israeli army had rearranged or doubled weapons for the tour and that an Israeli video showing the discoveries had been edited. NBC News said that Israel released several pieces of inaccurate or disputed information, which weakened Israel's credibility. Al Jazeera said that "many experts" accused Israel of fabricating evidence. On 22 November, Israel published video showing multiple tunnels beneath the hospital; The Wall Street Journal and The Guardian reported that this fell short of the original command center claims. Israel published surveillance footage taken by the hospital's cameras, appearing to show two hostages being taken into the hospital. The Guardian reported that Hamas had previously publicized taking hostages to receive medical treatment. On 21 December, The Washington Post published analysis concluding that the hospital buildings in question were not actually connected to the tunnels. On 2 January 2024, the United States released newly declassified documents showing that its spy agencies continued to express confidence that the hospital had been used as a command and control centre while providing no visual evidence, and the following day Israel announced that it had dismantled a tunnel beneath the hospital. News reports the next day said that both Israeli and US statements are not considered as conclusive proof of Hamas use of al-Shifa.
The raid on the hospital and Israel's limited findings of military infrastructure led to international criticism, including by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk who called for an independent investigation. International law prohibits the targeting of hospitals unless they are being used for a military purpose that is "harmful to the enemy", though the attacking force has to give civilians the chance to evacuate and there are strict rules of proportionality as to how force can be used. The use of hospital staff or patients as human shields is also prohibited. Jeremy Scahill accused Israel of waging a propaganda war to detract from accusations that its actions at al-Shifa constitute violations of international law. Medical staff at al-Shifa have accused Israel of directly causing the deaths of civilians being treated at al-Shifa, including prematurely born babies. The head of the World Health Organization said, "hospitals are not battlegrounds," and that Israel's action was "totally unacceptable." On 18 March 2024, Israeli forces conducted an overnight raid on Al-Shifa hospital following intel that senior Hamas officials had regrouped and were using the hospital "to command attacks". After a two-week siege that ended on 1 April 2024, the Al-Shifa hospital was mostly destroyed, and hundreds of dead Palestinians were found in and around the hospital, including in mass graves.
Since 2007, the Gaza Strip has been under blockade by Israel and Egypt. On 7 October 2023, Hamas attacked Israeli civilian communities and military bases, killing around 1,200 Israelis, the majority of whom were civilians, and taking about 250 hostages into Gaza. Israel conducted a counterattack. Israel also imposed a total blockade on Gaza, invaded the Gaza Strip on 27 October, and surrounded Gaza City on 2 November.
Al-Shifa is the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip; it was originally a British army barracks but was converted into a hospital in 1946.
Hamas's presence in the hospital during the 2014 Gaza War is disputed. Israel has stated that the hospital was a Hamas control and command centre, and The Washington Post reported it had "become a de facto headquarters for Hamas leaders, who can be seen in the hallways and offices." By contrast, doctors Erik Fosse and Mads Gilbert, who were working at the hospital, stated that they did not see any evidence of military activity at the hospital during the war. Professor Sara Roy stated that military use of the hospital was "highly improbable". Amnesty International reported in 2015 that Hamas had used abandoned areas of the hospital to "detain, interrogate, torture and otherwise ill-treat suspects" while the hospital was operational.
The Israeli military had ordered all civilians in the region to evacuate on 13 October. The IDF reported that Hamas was preventing the evacuation of civilians from the area and particularly from Al Shifa hospital, with the IDF stating that Hamas was using civilians as human shields.
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Al-Shifa Hospital siege
Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical complex in Gaza, was placed under siege by Israel in mid-November 2023 during the Gaza war, after saying it had contained a Hamas command and control center beneath it. The incident was followed by a second major raid by Israeli forces in March 2024.
On 11 November, the hospital was completely encircled, cutting it off from the rest of Gaza City. According to Gazan health officials, the hospital contained 1,500 patients, 1,500 medical workers and around 15,000 displaced people who were seeking shelter in the hospital. Both Israel and the United States have said that Hamas maintained command centers or command "nodes" below the hospital. Both the hospital's administration and Hamas denied that, with the former asking the international community to send security experts to verify the Israeli allegations. There were over 100 dead bodies placed in the courtyard and later buried by medical staff in a mass grave due to the siege. On 15 November, Israeli forces said they entered the hospital after killing militants outside, and that they had discovered a Hamas command centre, weaponry, and tactical gear.
After a media tour, The Guardian and CNN reported that the Israeli army had rearranged or doubled weapons for the tour and that an Israeli video showing the discoveries had been edited. NBC News said that Israel released several pieces of inaccurate or disputed information, which weakened Israel's credibility. Al Jazeera said that "many experts" accused Israel of fabricating evidence. On 22 November, Israel published video showing multiple tunnels beneath the hospital; The Wall Street Journal and The Guardian reported that this fell short of the original command center claims. Israel published surveillance footage taken by the hospital's cameras, appearing to show two hostages being taken into the hospital. The Guardian reported that Hamas had previously publicized taking hostages to receive medical treatment. On 21 December, The Washington Post published analysis concluding that the hospital buildings in question were not actually connected to the tunnels. On 2 January 2024, the United States released newly declassified documents showing that its spy agencies continued to express confidence that the hospital had been used as a command and control centre while providing no visual evidence, and the following day Israel announced that it had dismantled a tunnel beneath the hospital. News reports the next day said that both Israeli and US statements are not considered as conclusive proof of Hamas use of al-Shifa.
The raid on the hospital and Israel's limited findings of military infrastructure led to international criticism, including by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk who called for an independent investigation. International law prohibits the targeting of hospitals unless they are being used for a military purpose that is "harmful to the enemy", though the attacking force has to give civilians the chance to evacuate and there are strict rules of proportionality as to how force can be used. The use of hospital staff or patients as human shields is also prohibited. Jeremy Scahill accused Israel of waging a propaganda war to detract from accusations that its actions at al-Shifa constitute violations of international law. Medical staff at al-Shifa have accused Israel of directly causing the deaths of civilians being treated at al-Shifa, including prematurely born babies. The head of the World Health Organization said, "hospitals are not battlegrounds," and that Israel's action was "totally unacceptable." On 18 March 2024, Israeli forces conducted an overnight raid on Al-Shifa hospital following intel that senior Hamas officials had regrouped and were using the hospital "to command attacks". After a two-week siege that ended on 1 April 2024, the Al-Shifa hospital was mostly destroyed, and hundreds of dead Palestinians were found in and around the hospital, including in mass graves.
Since 2007, the Gaza Strip has been under blockade by Israel and Egypt. On 7 October 2023, Hamas attacked Israeli civilian communities and military bases, killing around 1,200 Israelis, the majority of whom were civilians, and taking about 250 hostages into Gaza. Israel conducted a counterattack. Israel also imposed a total blockade on Gaza, invaded the Gaza Strip on 27 October, and surrounded Gaza City on 2 November.
Al-Shifa is the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip; it was originally a British army barracks but was converted into a hospital in 1946.
Hamas's presence in the hospital during the 2014 Gaza War is disputed. Israel has stated that the hospital was a Hamas control and command centre, and The Washington Post reported it had "become a de facto headquarters for Hamas leaders, who can be seen in the hallways and offices." By contrast, doctors Erik Fosse and Mads Gilbert, who were working at the hospital, stated that they did not see any evidence of military activity at the hospital during the war. Professor Sara Roy stated that military use of the hospital was "highly improbable". Amnesty International reported in 2015 that Hamas had used abandoned areas of the hospital to "detain, interrogate, torture and otherwise ill-treat suspects" while the hospital was operational.
The Israeli military had ordered all civilians in the region to evacuate on 13 October. The IDF reported that Hamas was preventing the evacuation of civilians from the area and particularly from Al Shifa hospital, with the IDF stating that Hamas was using civilians as human shields.
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