Palestinians Describe Harrowing Ordeal Amid Ongoing Israeli Raid on Gaza Hospital

In a chilling account of survival, Palestinians who fled during an ongoing Israeli raid in and around the Gaza Strip’s main hospital have described days of heavy fighting, mass arrests, forced marches past dead bodies, and the haunting echoes of explosions. The situation unfolded in interviews conducted on Sunday.

The Israeli military claims to have killed over 170 militants and detained approximately 480 suspects in the relentless raid on Shifa Hospital, which commenced last Monday. The operation was portrayed as a significant blow to Hamas and other armed groups that had allegedly regrouped within the medical compound.

However, the intense combat also underscored the resilience of Palestinian armed factions in this isolated and severely devastated part of Gaza. Israeli troops were compelled to return after launching a similar raid back in November.

Kareem Ayman Hathat, who resided with his family in a five-story building near the hospital, recounted their harrowing experience. For days, they huddled in their kitchen while gunfire and explosions reverberated outside, causing the entire building to shake. On an early Saturday morning, Israeli troops stormed their residence, forcing them and dozens of other residents to evacuate. The men were stripped to their underwear, and four were detained. The rest were blindfolded and ordered to follow a tank southward, all while explosions continued to resonate.

“From time to time, the tank would fire a shell,” Kareem told The Associated Press from another hospital in central Gaza, where he sought refuge. “It was to terrorize us.”

Major General Yaron Finkelman, head of Israel’s southern command, hailed the Shifa raid as a “daring, tricky, and most impressive operation so far.” Hundreds of militants were apprehended, and valuable intelligence was acquired. He emphasized that the operation would continue until the last terrorist was either captured or neutralized.

Shifa Hospital had largely ceased functioning after the November raid. Israeli forces claimed that Hamas maintained an elaborate command center both inside and beneath the hospital. During the recent operation, a single tunnel leading to a few underground rooms was exposed, and weapons were discovered in certain areas of the hospital.

Gaza City, where Shifa Hospital is located, suffered widespread devastation during the early days of Israel’s offensive, triggered by a Hamas attack in October.

The ongoing conflict continues to exact a heavy toll on civilians, leaving them caught in the crossfire of violence and displacement. As the world watches, the plight of those trapped in the heart of this war zone remains a stark reminder of the human cost of conflict.