**Israel Strikes Gaza Hospitals, Prompting Denials by Hamas and Medical Officials**
Israel’s military has attacked three hospitals in Gaza, including the al-Shifa Hospital complex, the enclave’s largest medical facility. The attacks have resulted in numerous casualties, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-governed territory.
A spokesman for the Health Ministry, Ashraf al-Qudra, stated that Israel’s military struck a yard at the al-Shifa Hospital complex, where thousands of displaced Palestinians are sheltering. The strikes are being undertaken to put the hospitals completely out of commission and displace the people sheltering in them, as well as patients and medics.
However, Hamas and hospital officials have strongly denied the Israeli military’s claims that the armed group is operating at al-Shifa. Mohammad Abu Salmiya, the hospital’s director general, reported that the strike hit civilians located next to a number of journalists in the yard, resulting in multiple casualties, including critical injuries.
There have also been reports of attacks on two children’s hospitals, Al-Rantisi and Al-Nasr, further fueling the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine. Video footage of the aftermath of the attack at al-Shifa showed several people screaming and scrambling for cover, as well as an injured man lying on the pavement in a pool of blood.
Meanwhile, Israeli military officials have released pictures, illustrated maps, and audio recordings that they claim show Hamas is using the al-Shifa Hospital to plan operations and hide its fighters. However, Hamas, health authorities, and al-Shifa Hospital officials have all vehemently denied these allegations.
The repeated targeting of hospitals in Gaza has drawn condemnation from humanitarian groups and prompted calls for the protection of medical facilities from the ongoing conflict. The situation continues to escalate, with fears and anxieties running high among medics, patients, and displaced individuals in the region.