Gaza’s largest hospital, Al-Shifa, has become a flashpoint in Israel’s war in the enclave, which began when Hamas militants crossed the border into Israel on October 7, killing around 1,200 people.
Palestinians and humanitarian agencies say the current fighting in and around Al-Shifa is proof of Israel’s wanton disregard for civilian life in Gaza, while Israel accuses Hamas of using the medical center as a shield for its operations.
Since launching its operation at Al-Shifa this week, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed it found a tunnel shaft and military equipment, but has yet to show proof of the large-scale command and control center it alleges is there. Hamas denies the allegations. CNN has not verified the claims of either Israel or Hamas.
The UN meanwhile is calling for access to Al-Shifa, warning that hospitals should not be used as battlegrounds for any side. “This is precisely where you need an independent international investigation, because we have different narratives,” said Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. “You cannot use civilian, especially hospitals, for any military purposes. But you also cannot attack a hospital in the absence of clear evidence.”
The hospital is a key shelter for Palestinian civilians fleeing Israeli bombardment in Gaza, currently estimated to be sheltering over 7,000 displaced people in addition to medical staff and patients.
Here’s what we know so far.
