Israel's recent military actions in Palestine have resulted in a significant loss of life and injury, with over 31,726 people killed and 73,792 injured since October 7, according to the Gaza health ministry. In the past 24 hours alone, 81 Palestinians have been killed and 116 injured.
Early on March 18, Israeli troops conducted a raid on Gaza's Al Shifa Hospital. Palestinian health authorities reported multiple casualties and a fierce fire breaking out in one of the hospital buildings as a result of the operation.
The Israeli military stated that the hospital compound was being used by senior Hamas leaders, justifying their "precise operation." They claimed to have encountered gunfire upon entering the premises and responded with live fire. Israeli troops continue to operate in the hospital's vicinity, according to their statement.
Al Shifa Hospital, once Gaza Strip's largest healthcare facility, is now one of the few operational hospitals in the north of the territory and is accommodating hundreds of displaced civilians.
Witnesses described hearing explosions and seeing tanks rolling towards Al Shifa Hospital in the early hours of March 18. Mohammad Ali, a resident living nearby, described the situation as reminiscent of a "re-invasion of Gaza City."
The Gaza health ministry reported a fire at the hospital entrance, causing suffocation among displaced women and children seeking shelter. Communication was cut off, and people were trapped inside the surgery and emergency units of one of the buildings.
The Israeli army distributed leaflets around the hospital warning residents of the combat zone and advising them to take the coastal road towards Al-Mawasi in the southern Gaza Strip.
The situation in Gaza remains tense as the conflict continues to escalate, with both sides facing mounting casualties and humanitarian challenges.
Israeli Military Launches Operation Near Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital