UPDATE – Israeli army conducts explosions in Gaza's Shifa Hospital basements

UPDATES WITH DETAILS

By Anadolu staff

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – The Israeli army carried out "explosions" in the basements of several buildings in the Al-Shifa Hospital complex after it was raided by Israeli forces on Wednesday, according to a medical source.

"The Israeli army is the sole party firing inside the Al-Shifa Hospital and its surroundings," the source at the medical facility said.

“The Israeli army is holding dozens of displaced people and medical staff in the backyard of the hospital and interrogating them,” the source said, explaining the current situation inside Gaza's major health facility, which has been almost out of service due to increased bombing by Israeli forces.

The source said Israeli army blindfolded and detained a number of people from inside the hospital after stripping them naked and took them to an unknown location.

“Communications with those inside Al-Shifa Hospital were completely cut off,” said an Anadolu reporter.

According to reports, "the Israeli army is carrying out extensive searches in the buildings it has ‘invaded.’”

"Israeli army snipers have taken positions on the roofs of several tall buildings in the hospital, creating holes in them,” the same source said.

According to Gaza’s government media office, there are around 1,500 medical staff, 700 patients, 39 premature babies, and 7,000 displaced people inside the medical complex.

As the Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip entered its 40th day, at least 11,320 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 Ziad Aslan in Ankara