Israel raids Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital, approves fuel for UN trucks
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Wednesday raided the Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical facility in war-torn Gaza, and called on Hamas fighters to surrender with thousands of Palestinian civilians sheltering there, per Reuters. The IDF emphasized the raid was "precise and targeted," involving medical teams and Arabic-speaking personnel trained for such delicate situations. Moreover, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has authorized the delivery of 24,000 liters of diesel fuel for United Nations (UN) trucks operating in the Gaza Strip.
Why does this story matter?
Israel has been attacking hospitals in Gaza, especially Al-Shifa Hospital, claiming it houses the command center of Hamas. The health workers and Hamas have, however, denied the claims. On Tuesday, the facility buried 179 bodies in a mass grave after a fuel shortage. Israeli attacks have rendered all hospitals inoperational, the Gaza Health Ministry said. The number of deaths in Gaza since October 7 has reportedly crossed 11,320, including 4,650 children and 3,145 women, apart from over 200 health workers.
Hamas holds Israel, US responsible for hospital raid
Responding to the IDF's raid, Hamas issued a statement holding Israel and United States (US) President Joe Biden "fully responsible for (the) occupation (Israeli) army's raid of Al-Shifa medical complex." It argued that a US intelligence report on Tuesday supported Israel's claim that terrorists were operating at Al-Shifa, giving them a "green light" for the operation. The US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby, however, said the US doesn't endorse attacks on hospitals and stressed the importance of protecting patients.
Fuel only for UN trucks, not hospital: Israel
Aid organizations in Gaza have said that a severe fuel shortage has hindered their ability to provide food, water, and medical supplies to civilians. Meanwhile, Israeli officials have stressed that the fuel provided is designated solely for UN trucks and not for hospitals, Reuters reported. Israel has divided the Gaza Strip into two parts and urged Palestinians to flee south. However, it continues to carry out frequent airstrikes in the southern part, Hindustan Times reported.
Netanyahu slams Trudeau for saying 'stop killing babies'
Separately, Netanyahu slammed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for urging Israel to halt "this killing of women, of children, of babies" in Gaza and to "exercise maximum restraint" in the war against Hamas. Netanyahu said, "It is not Israel that is deliberately targeting civilians but Hamas that beheaded, burned and massacred civilians in the worst horrors perpetrated on Jews since the Holocaust." "The forces of civilization must back Israel in defeating Hamas barbarism," he said.
Houthi rebels launch ballistic missiles at Israeli targets
On the other hand, Yemen's Houthi rebels declared on Tuesday that they had launched a series of ballistic missiles at various Israeli targets, including the southern Israeli city of Eilat. The Iran-backed rebel group, a staunch opponent of Israel and supporter of Palestine, also announced plans to start attacking Israeli ships in the Red Sea. Since October 7, the Houthi rebels have carried out at least six aerial assaults against Israel and pledged to continue these military operations.
Death toll before and after October 7
The war erupted after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7. Israel said the attack killed 1,400 people but later revised it to 1,200. Hamas has also seized 240 hostages. Israeli and Palestinian sides have been at loggerheads for decades. Around 6,500 Palestinians were killed from 2008 to October 6, 2023, against 309 Israelis, per the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Before Hamas came to power in Gaza, 4,228 Palestinians and 1,024 Israelis were killed from 2000-07.
