The Gaza Strip's largest and most advanced hospital, al-Shifa, lies in ruins following a two-week raid by Israel's military. Last week, Israeli forces withdrew from Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, leaving behind scenes of devastation and despair.
The health ministry reported that "dozens of bodies, some of them decomposed, have been recovered from in and around the Al-Shifa medical complex," adding that the hospital is now "completely out of service." According to the United Nations, most of Gaza's hospitals are no longer functioning.
Notes written by besieged Palestinians on the walls of Al-Shifa Hospital have been circulated widely on social media, revealing the pain, exhaustion, and misery experienced by those trapped within during Israel's onslaught on the medical complex.
Despite the suffering, the notes also reflect the faith and resilience of the people of Gaza.
The Notes On The Walls Of Al-Shifa Hospital
Translation: ‘Be patient oh people of Al Shifa, for relief is near.
It’s the 11th day of the third siege on Al-Shifa complex.’
28/03/2024
THE TRAPPED MEDICAL TEAM
Translation: 'Mom I miss you, and I pray to see you soon.
I swear to God that I love you.'
Translation: 'We have accepted the fate that God has written for us, and we will not despair, for relief is coming, God willing.'
FROM INSIDE THE SIEGE OF AL-SHIFA MEDICAL COMPLEX
Translation: 'Praise be to Allah
Mom, I am so exhausted but thank God for everything still.
God willing, we will get out.’
BROTHER MOHAMMAD SUKKAR
Translation: 'Mom, I miss you wiping off the tears running down my cheeks.'
A report released on April 1 by the Euro-Med Monitor, an independent NGO based in Geneva, said that although the exact number of casualties remains unknown, “preliminary reports suggest that over 1,500 Palestinians have been killed, injured, or are reported missing” in and around Al-Shifa as a result of the 14-day Israeli raid.
The NGO confirmed from its preliminary investigation and witness statements that “hundreds of dead bodies, including some burned and others with their heads and limbs severed, have been discovered both inside Al-Shifa Medical Complex and in the hospital’s surrounding area.”
At the time of writing, at least 33,091 Palestinians have been killed and 75,750 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The death toll in Israel from Hamas’s October 7 attack stands at 1,139, with dozens still held captive. And the war continues.
(Source of images: X Screengrabs/@falestiniasoul)
