Israeli tank shell hits Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza

By Abdelsalam Fayez

ISTANBUL (AA) - After raiding it earlier in the day, the Israeli army late Wednesday targeted Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City with a tank shell, said authorities in the embattled Gaza Strip.

In a statement, the Gaza-based Health Ministry said the tank shell hit the coronary care unit in the hospital and also caused damage to the surgical unit.

The ministry did not say if anybody had been wounded by the shelling of Al-Shifa, Gaza's largest hospital.

It also said that the only two technicians of the hospital arrested by the Israeli army in its widely condemned raid were the ones responsible for its power generator.

In an earlier statement, the ministry said the Israeli army deliberately ruined and damaged much of the hospital's medical equipment in the raid.

The Israeli army has yet to comment on the statement.

The hospital had already suspended service due to shortages of fuel and supplies due to an ongoing Israeli blockade, but still has many patients and people taking shelter in the complex from Israeli attacks.

On Wednesday morning, the Israeli army raided Al-Shifa after besieging it for days.

Since Oct. 7, at least 11,500 Palestinians have been killed, including over 7,800 women and children, and more than 29,200 others have been injured, according to the latest figures from Palestinian authorities.

Thousands of buildings, including hospitals, mosques, and churches, have also been damaged or destroyed in Israel's relentless air and ground attacks on the besieged enclave since last month.

The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, is around 1,200, according to official figures.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar​​​​​​​