Palestinian residents have reported that the Israeli military has withdrawn from Gaza’s primary hospital following a two-week operation, leaving behind extensive damage and devastation.
Following the withdrawal early Monday, hundreds of people returned to Shifa Hospital and its vicinity, only to discover bodies both inside and outside the facility.
The military has characterized the operation as one of the most successful endeavors of the nearly six-month conflict, claiming to have eliminated numerous Hamas and other militant operatives while also obtaining valuable intelligence.
Mohammed Mahdi, who was among those who returned, described scenes of utter devastation, recounting several buildings that had been burned to the ground. He noted discovering six bodies in the vicinity, including two within the hospital courtyard.
Another resident, Yahia Abu Auf, revealed that despite the military’s departure, patients, medical personnel, and displaced individuals were still sheltering within the hospital compound. He mentioned that several patients had been transferred to the nearby Ahli Hospital. Additionally, he lamented the destruction caused by army bulldozers, which had demolished a makeshift cemetery within the hospital premises.
