450 patients left behind at Al-Shifa Hospital: Gaza health officials
Hundreds of people reportedly fled from Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital on Saturday after Israeli troops ordered evacuation "in the next hour" over loudspeakers, reported AFP. More than 2,000 patients and displaced people were trapped inside the strip's biggest medical facility before the alleged evacuation. However, the report added that around 450 patients who could not be moved remained at the hospital.
Why does this story matter?
Since Hamas's surprise October 7 attack on Israel, the Jewish nation has continued its military offensive in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has been targeting hospitals in Gaza, particularly Al-Shifa Hospital, claiming it houses the command center of Hamas. While health workers and Hamas have denied the claims, the IDF on Friday alleged it found Hamas exploiting three of the largest hospitals in Gaza.
More than 120 wounded left at Al-Shifa
Meanwhile, the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza said in a statement that around 120 people wounded were still at the Al-Shifa Hospital, along with an unspecified number of premature babies. Moreover, the hospital's director, Mohammed Abu Salmiya, claimed he was asked by the Israeli troops to ensure "the evacuation of patients, wounded, the displaced and medical staff, and that they should move on foot toward the seafront."
Israel denies ordering Al-Shifa evacuation: Report
On the other hand, Israel has reportedly denied that it asked medical staff and patients to evacuate Al-Shifa Hospital. "It should be emphasized that at no point did the IDF ask to evacuate patients or medical teams," Al Jazeera quoted a statement from the Israeli military as saying. The IDF claimed it only responded to the request of the Al-Shifa director to allow people taking shelter there and those who wished to vacate to exit through "a secure axis."
Death toll in Israel-Hamas war crosses 13,000
While Hamas's October 7 cross-border attack claimed the lives of nearly 1,200 Israelis, the retaliatory strikes from Israel have reportedly left over 12,000 Palestinians in Gaza dead so far. The ongoing Israel-Hamas war has also triggered a massive humanitarian crisis for civilians in Gaza, with global calls growing for a ceasefire to allow essential and humanitarian aid to enter the strip.
