Palestine holds Israel responsible for lives in Al-Shifa Hospital after raid

By Qais Omar Darwesh Omar and Hacer Cakir

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said on Monday that the Israeli government bears responsibility for the lives of those present at Al-Shifa Hospital, where the Israeli army conducted a raid this morning.

In a statement posted on X, the ministry said, "The Israeli government is responsible for the lives of health teams, patients, displaced persons, and detainees at Al-Shifa Hospital."

The statement said that "Israel is attempting to completely destroy the healthcare infrastructure in Gaza."

The statement pointed out that no measures to protect civilians or ensure continuous entry of aid to the region have been implemented internationally, despite the decisions of the UN and the International Court of Justice's provisional measures order to protect civilians in Gaza and secure their basic needs.

It also stressed that international efforts should focus on protecting civilians at all times and ensuring continuous delivery of aid to the region.

Israeli military forces conducted a raid on Monday morning on Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, where thousands of patients, injured individuals, and displaced persons were present, using drones and heavy weapons. Casualties were reported.

Israeli "Channel 13" television reported that the Israeli army detained 80 Palestinians during the raid on Al-Shifa Hospital.

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

More than 31,100 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and over 72,700 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

The Israeli war 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. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Serdar Dincel