Israeli Forces Enter Gaza Hospital Claiming it Holds Hamas Fortress
Israeli forces have made a controversial move, sweeping through Al Shifa Hospital, the largest hospital in Gaza. The IDF provided some video to USA TODAY, with faces blurred, claiming that the hospital was being used as a Hamas fortress.
The incursion comes amid a turn in the war, with Palestinians who fled northern Gaza on orders from the Israeli military now being warned to evacuate parts of southern Gaza. This development threatens to worsen the already severe humanitarian crisis in the embattled enclave.
Residents and journalists reported that the Israeli military was dropping leaflets near the southern town of Khan Younis, warning people to evacuate and stating that anyone found near Hamas militants was “putting his life in danger.” Similar leaflets were dropped across northern Gaza in the weeks leading up to Israel’s ground attack. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who fled the conflict in northern Gaza have sought refuge in the south, packing homes and U.N.-run shelters.
The United Nations reports that at least 1.5 million Gazans have been internally displaced by the war and are trapped in a 140-square mile territory where much of the infrastructure has been destroyed since Israel began its offensive.
The Gaza Health Ministry reports that more than 11,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the conflict. Israel claims that more than 1,200 people were killed in a single day and 240 were taken hostage by militants during the initial brutal attack that prompted its offensive against Hamas.
Israeli troops seized laptops during their raid of Shifa Hospital, which they claim contained photos and videos of some of the hostages taken by militants. Additionally, Israel has claimed to have seized control of Gaza’s harbor from Hamas, destroying tunnel shafts and structures used for terrorist activities and killing 10 militants.
Israel also revealed that it had bombed the Gaza home of Hamas political bureau Chairman Ismail Haniyeh, a high-ranking official in Hamas. The Israeli military claimed that the building was part of Hamas’ military infrastructure and a meeting place for senior leaders to direct terrorist attacks.
In response to the dire situation in Gaza, the United Arab Emirates announced plans to build three desalination plants in the territory, aiming to provide 600,000 gallons of water daily to around 300,000 people. The move comes after a report from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics warning of a severe water crisis in Gaza due to infrastructure damage from Israeli bombings.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and senior Biden-Harris administration officials met with national Muslim, Arab, and Sikh organization leaders to discuss efforts to counter instances of Islamophobia, antisemitism, and hate-fueled threats in schools and on college campuses. The White House has also announced plans to develop a National Strategy to Counter Islamophobia.
The situation in Gaza remains dire, with no immediate resolution in sight. The conflict continues to take a heavy toll on the people living in the embattled territory.
Contributing: The Associated Press