On April 1, Israeli forces withdrew from Gaza City’s vast al-Shifa hospital complex following their second raid there. Stunned Palestinians found the burnt-out ruins reeking of death.
During the past eight months of war, hospitals have been repeatedly attacked, with Israel claiming they are used as bases by Hamas—a claim the group denies.
Al-Shifa, once the Gaza Strip’s largest and best-equipped medical facility, experienced arguably the most dramatic events. The two-week surprise raid, launched after Israel stated Hamas had regrouped at the site, was described by the Israeli government as “precise and surgical.” Spokesman Avi Hyman asserted that the raid had set “the gold standard of urban warfare,” claiming the operation took out over 200 terrorists and apprehended over 900 without civilian casualties.
However, with decaying bodies visible in the sand piled up by combat bulldozers in al-Shifa’s courtyards, the claim of no civilian casualties was immediately questioned. Four mass graves have been uncovered at the site, with Palestinian search teams discovering several hundred bodies.
A Palestinian Civil Defence worker, Rami Dababesh, described extracting martyrs, many of whom were decomposed and unidentifiable. “We’ve found corpses of women, children, individuals without heads, and torn body parts,” he said on May 8, standing by a line of white plastic body bags at al-Shifa.
Lacking forensic equipment and expertise, the Civil Defence has been using photos and videos to document remains. Dr. Mohamed Mughir, a director, mentioned suspicious finds, noting signs of field executions, binding marks, gunshot wounds to the head, and torture marks on some bodies.
The UN Security Council has expressed “deep concern” about the mass graves at both al-Shifa and Nasser hospital in southern Gaza. Along with the US and the EU, it has called for an independent investigation into possible war crimes.
The IDF claims that during its raids, its soldiers exhumed bodies Palestinians had buried earlier while searching for the remains of around 250 hostages taken during the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. They assert bodies were examined respectfully and those not belonging to Israeli captives were reburied.
Nevertheless, some of the recently found corpses were of patients who died during Israel’s latest military action. A paramedic reported some bodies still had IV catheters attached. On April 15, the BBC met two men whose dead mothers had been treated at the hospital. Their bodies were recovered from a mass grave.
Mohammed al-Khatib, who had been searching for his mother, Khawla, said, “By the grace of almighty God her body was found.” Walid Fteima identified his mother, Lina Abu Leila, from injuries she sustained in an Israeli bombing the previous year.
After starting the operation on March 18, the IDF ordered thousands of civilians to leave but allowed the hospital to continue functioning. By the operation’s end, only about 140 patients and medics reportedly remained. Dr. Rik Peeperkorn of the WHO stated these individuals endured “horrific conditions,” ultimately resulting in 20 patient deaths.
Surviving patients described severe shortages of food, water, and medication. Mohamed al-Nadeem, who is half-paralyzed, recounted sleeping on the floor without blankets amid constant bombing. Rafif Doghmush, 15, whose foot was amputated, noted the lack of dressings and painkillers.
The IDF claims no staff or patients died as a “direct result” of its action, attributing some deaths to “natural causes.” They stated they helped patients by moving them out of harm’s way and supplying medical resources, food, water, and a generator.
Drone footage shared by the IDF showed Palestinian gunmen firing from within al-Shifa hospital. The gunmen allegedly barricaded themselves in wards and corridors, engaging in combat with explosives and firearms. Three Israeli soldiers were confirmed killed during the operation.
The IDF stated its raid was based on “concrete intelligence” that Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad had taken over parts of the site, using it for access to supplies, power, and the internet.
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