Allegations of IDF Using Al-Shifa Hospital as Human Shields in Gaza

The Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza has accused the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) of employing human shields at Al-Shifa Hospital. According to the ministry, the IDF occupied the ground floor, destroyed medical equipment, and allegedly targeted the coronary care unit with a tank shell. The statement denied the presence of a Hamas command center but questioned the hospital’s functionality under surveillance.

The IDF conducted an 18-hour operation, claiming to find weapons and interrogating individuals, resulting in at least five Hamas gunmen’s deaths. The Ministry reported arrests of critical staff, affecting medical equipment functionality.

The hospital’s management and Gaza’s Ministry of Health denied IDF allegations, calling for an independent investigation into the incident. The situation underscores the complex challenges and conflicting narratives surrounding the ongoing conflict in Gaza.