11-11-2023 (GAZA STRIP) In the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, calls for Israel to safeguard civilians in Gaza have intensified. On Saturday (Nov 11), the battle between Hamas and Israeli forces reached a critical point near Gaza’s largest hospital, Al-Shifa, leading an aid agency to describe the situation as “catastrophic.”
Explosions, akin to thunder, reverberated through the night during intense fighting near Al-Shifa hospital, according to AFP correspondents at the scene. The Hamas government and the hospital’s director attributed the death of 13 people to a strike on the key health facility on Friday, squarely placing the blame on Israel, a claim that remains unverified.
A spokesperson for the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, Ashraf Al-Qudra, appealed for immediate intervention from international and Arab parties to halt the targeting of hospitals in Gaza. Doctors Without Borders expressed extreme concern about the safety of patients and medical staff at Al-Shifa, noting a dramatic intensification of attacks against the hospital.
Maher Sharif, a nurse who witnessed the strike on Al-Shifa, recounted a horrific scene with dead bodies, including women and children. The Gaza health ministry reported that 20 out of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are no longer functioning, as the humanitarian crisis deepens.
Israel has denied targeting hospitals, asserting that Hamas is using medical facilities as command centers and hideouts—an allegation denied by the Palestinian militant group. The Israeli army warned of potential repercussions for Hamas militants using hospitals as cover.
French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged Israel’s right to defend itself but raised concerns about civilian casualties resulting from the conflict. Macron urged Israel to halt its actions, citing the deaths of civilians, including children and the elderly, as unjustifiable.
The Gaza health ministry claimed that Israeli fighting has killed over 11,000 people, predominantly civilians and many of them children. These figures, however, remain unverifiable. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed concern over the civilian toll and called for more efforts to protect civilians and provide humanitarian assistance.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu countered Macron’s remarks, placing the blame on Hamas for civilian deaths, accusing the group of using human shields. The Israeli defense force asserted control over Hamas strongholds in northern Gaza, with conflicting reports of strikes or sniper fire at hospitals and schools in the region.
After five weeks of conflict, the Gazan health system is described as being “on its knees” by the head of the World Health Organization. The International Committee of the Red Cross echoed concerns, stating that Gaza’s healthcare system has reached a point of no return.
As the conflict persists, tens of thousands of Gazans have been internally displaced, and the UN estimates that almost two-thirds of Gaza’s population is affected. Regional tensions have also escalated, with cross-border exchanges between the Israeli army and Lebanon’s Hezbollah. Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian declared the expansion of the Israel-Hamas war as “inevitable,” further complicating the already volatile situation. Emergency meetings of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation are underway in Saudi Arabia to address the escalating crisis.
