Israeli army caused death of 13 patients at Al-Shifa Hospital’s intensive care unit: Gaza authorities

By Anadolu staff

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) - The Israeli army has caused the death of 13 patients in Gaza’s Al-Shifa Hospital's intensive care unit by depriving them of medicine, oxygen and food, said the media office of the Gaza local authorities on Thursday.

In a statement, the Government Media Office said: "The Israeli army premeditatedly killed 13 patients by denying them medicine, saline, electricity and oxygen since it occupied the hospital for the fourth consecutive day."

The statement said that there were 22 patients – including the 13 who were pronounced dead – in the Al-Shifa Hospital's intensive care unit who require specialized medical care.

"There are patients and injured people inside Al-Shifa Hospital whose wounds have rotted due to the lack of doctors, nurses and wound dressing," it said.

The statement held the US administration, the international community and Israel responsible for these crimes against patients, medical staff and Palestinian people.

The Israeli army’s raid of Al-Shifa Hospital continued for a fourth consecutive day, putting in danger the lives of more than 7,000 patients and displaced persons.

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack led by Hamas in which some 1,200 Israelis were killed.

Nearly 32,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and nearly 74,200 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war, now in its 167th day, has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in January issued an interim ruling ordering Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara