Thousands of patients at risk: why Israel wants to destroy this hospital

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As the Israeli army pushes further into the city of Gaza, a possible – and highly controversial – target comes into focus: the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip. According to Israeli intelligence services, Hamas uses the hospital as a command and control center.

The fighting at the clinic intensifies. Eyewitnesses report damage to the roof of the hospital after Israeli bombings. Tens of thousands of people have found shelter in the hallways and grounds of the overcrowded clinic. A state of emergency applies.

A group of children addressed the world in front of the hospital with an emotional message: “They lie to the world that they are killing terrorists, but they are killing the people of Gaza. We came to Al-Shifa Hospital to protect ourselves from bomb attacks, but then suddenly the bombs arrived here.”

Clinic director: Misleading accusations

The clinic’s director, Mohammed Abu Salamija, called Israel’s accusations that Hamas is using the hospital for its own purposes a “misguided attempt” to drive people out of the hospital. He reports appalling conditions for patients and completely overworked staff. According to the media, the clinic can accommodate 700 patients. According to reports, thousands of people are currently being treated.

Salamija also warns of a fuel shortage. If there is no more fuel, it can be immediately fatal for, for example, people who need to be ventilated. The Israeli army, on the other hand, explains that there is fuel in the hospitals in the Gaza Strip – which Hamas uses for its ‘terror infrastructure’.

Human rights activist: There was torture in the clinic ward

There have been allegations from other sources in the past that Hamas is using Shifa Hospital for acts of violence. The human rights organization Amnesty International reported more than eight years ago that Hamas members tortured Palestinians in a disused section of the clinic in 2014 during a war with Israel.

Hamas accused the victims of collaborating with Israel. Military expert Danny Orbach of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem says it has been known for years that Hamas is using the clinic for its own purposes. There is “no doubt” about the finding.

Army: Hideout for terrorists

According to the Israeli military, Hamas also used several departments in the hospital to order the firing of rockets. “Hamas is waging war from hospitals,” said military spokesman Daniel Hagari. After the October 7 massacre, hundreds of terrorists hid in the Shifa clinic. According to the military, there is also an entrance to the underground base within the clinic. Hamas denies the accusations.

Abuse of clinics is a war crime

The military has released satellite images and material to prove the clinic was used by Hamas. Videos showed suspected control rooms and connecting tunnels beneath the clinic. The information cannot be independently verified at this time. According to international law expert Daniel-Erasmus Khan of the University of the Federal Armed Forces in Munich, the use of a clinic for military purposes constitutes a war crime.

Civilian objectives in international humanitarian law

The Israeli Defense Forces say they are committed to attacking Hamas where necessary. The army does not want to say whether this also refers to Shifa Hospital. Israeli media report that the army has not yet decided if and when troops will be sent to the clinic.

Under international humanitarian law, attacks on civilian targets such as hospitals are prohibited. “However, when civilian objects are misused, they are no longer necessarily sacred,” Khan explains. “If the Israeli story is true, such an attack would be permissible.” In this case, international humanitarian law even accepts unintentional civilian casualties. Israel must still make every effort to evacuate civilians from the clinic.

Expert: Army will convert clinic

The historian Orbach believes that there is proportionality. “The military value is high – even if the Hamas leadership is not at the base.” However, the Israeli army believes that most high-ranking Hamas members are hiding in the clinics, especially the Shifa hospital. They took advantage of the fact that the army was not bombing hospitals.

According to Orbach, the destruction of the “center of Hamas rule” would also be a symbolic victory for Israel over the terrorist organization. But Israel will wait, he suspects. First, the army will surround the clinic until everyone inside surrenders.

Mass evacuation and patient transfers

The military historian assumes that Hamas’ power will soon collapse. “This will create a domino effect.” The armed forces could then force the mass evacuation of civilians from the clinic. Orbach sees the fact that more and more people are currently responding to the army’s call and fleeing to the south of the Gaza Strip as a sign that Hamas is starting to lose control. Patients could be transferred from the clinic to hospitals donated from abroad, Orbach said. Meanwhile, the UN rejects the transfer of patients – this endangers the lives of those affected.

According to military expert Orbach, as soon as an evacuation is completed, the army will bomb the clinic in a targeted manner. Ultimately, ground forces could capture the building and destroy the Hamas facilities inside. The military historian does not believe that the army will reduce the building to rubble. He even considers it possible that the hospital, which was founded during the British Mandate, could be used as a clinic again after the war. (SDA)

Source: Blick