Al-Shifa Hospital

Hospital in Gaza Strip, Palestine For other hospitals, see Shifa Hospital (disambiguation) . Hospital Al-Shifa Hospital ( Arabic : مستشفى الشفاء Mustašfā aš-Šifāʾ [musˈtaʃ.fa aʃːiˈfaːʔ] ) was the largest medical complex and central hospital in the Gaza Strip , Palestine , located in the neighborhood of northern Rimal in Gaza City . The hospital was first established by the government of Mandatory Palestine in 1946, and expanded during the Egyptian and later Israeli occupations . During the Gaza war , Israel, supported by the United States, said Hamas was using the hospital as a command center and on 15 November 2023, its forces raided the hospital , where thousands of Palestinians were taking shelter. The Israeli raid was widely criticized and Israel was accused by several news outlets of waging a propaganda war. Medical staff at al-Shifa have accused Israel of directly causing the deaths of civilians being treated at al-Shifa, including prematurely born babies. Following Israel's release of video evidence of Hamas tunnels under the hospital on 22 November, multiple news agencies concluded that the evidence did not demonstrate the use by Hamas of a command center. Amnesty International said on 23 November 2023 that "Amnesty International has so far not seen any credible evidence to support Israel's claim that al-Shifa is housing a military command centre" and that "the Israeli military has so far failed to provide credible evidence" for the allegation. Izzat al-Risheq , a Hamas official, denied that the group used the hospital as a shield for its underground military structures , saying there was no truth to the claims. A later report in February 2024 by the New York Times , confirmed the earlier reports but also cited classified Israeli intelligence material suggesting that Hamas did use the hospital as cover. A second Israeli raid on the hospital, during which there were extensive gunfights in and around the hospital complex, ended on 1 April 2024 after two weeks. The hospital was completely destroyed with hundreds of casualties around the hospital. One of its medical units reopened on 1 September 2024. "US 'still convinced' Hamas used Al-Shifa Hospital as command center as Israeli raid continues" . "31 babies evacuated from Gaza's Al-Shifa; Biden says he believes a hostage deal will come soon" . CNBC . : CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( link ) " 'Hospitals are not battlegrounds': World reacts to Israel's al-Shifa raid" . "Israel unveils what it claims is a major Hamas militant hideout beneath Gaza City's Shifa Hospital" . Israel has not yet unveiled this purported center, but the military portrayed the underground hideout as its most significant discovery yet. Hamas and the hospital administration have denied Israel's accusations. While many security analysts agree the latest evidence Israel has released increasingly suggests a Hamas presence at the hospital, most say they have yet to see something that constitutes a smoking gun showing it was a command center for Hamas, as Israel has alleged. Israel has repeatedly claimed that Hamas ran a command and control centre from tunnels running near and under the hospital, although so far the evidence presented has fallen short of that. The Israeli army is continuing to search the site for evidence of Hamas's presence, including the alleged command and control centre. While the footage does prove the existence of tunnels underneath the complex, it remains unclear whether they formed part of a Hamas command centre, as Israel claims. Amnesty International UK . 23 November 2023 . The New York Times . Gaza's al-Shifa Hospital reopens after being left in ruins by Israeli attacks .