The main hospital in the Gaza Strip was attacked again by Israeli troops this Thursday, November 16, a day after they launched an offensive at the site where, according to the military, a Hamas command center is based. The accusation is denied by both the Islamist group and the medical center’s instructions, while civilians from there denounced beatings, interrogations and expulsions by the soldiers. The director of hospitals in the Gaza Strip said that communication with staff in Al-Shifa was interrupted.
First change: November 16, 2023 – 1:34 p.m
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Israeli forces renewed their attack on Al-Shifa Hospital on November 16, with tanks and bulldozers entering the medical center, medical sources and reporters described on the Arab network Al Jazeera website.
The army has called for the evacuation of dozens of families around the hospital complex, but many are unable to leave because of the risk of being attacked by Israeli snipers. Shootings are intensifying on the roads leading to Al-Shifa in Gaza City, north of the enclave.
Two and a half weeks after the start of a large-scale ground assault on the Palestinian territory, where hospitals have become the focus of the attacks, the United Nations National Security Council passed a resolution on Wednesday calling for a “humanitarian pause,” although not a comprehensive one Armistice.
Here are the most important news of the day:
7:07 (BOG) Gaza’s Ministry of Health reports new difficulties in updating death tolls
For the fourth day in a row, the enclave’s health ministry says it is unable to provide a current death toll in Gaza due to the collapse of medical and communications services.
Since the start of the war on October 7, the ministry has been updating daily the extent of human losses, but since last Monday, November 13, the company reported difficulties in the face of incessant Israeli attacks. On this day, the enclave’s media office noted 11,240 deaths, including 4,630 children.
Volunteers transport the bodies of the deadly victims of a bomb attack that left hundreds dead at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in central Gaza, for whose responsibility Palestinians and Israelis have exchanged accusations. The latter assured that the deadly attack that caused hundreds of victims was due to a missile fired by the Islamic Jihad group, October 17, 2023 © AFP / Dawood Nemer
6:15 (BOG) Israeli troops say they attacked the home of a Hamas leader
The events were recorded during an air raid in the early hours of November 16th.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), it is the residence of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’ political bureau.
“The house was used as a terrorist infrastructure and gathering point for senior Hamas leaders to carry out terrorist attacks against Israel,” an IDF statement said.
Overnight, IDF warplanes attacked the residence of Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas’ political bureau.
The residence was used as a terrorist infrastructure and a meeting point for senior Hamas leaders to direct terrorist attacks against Israel. pic.twitter.com/kljYYN6O0U
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 16, 2023
5:53 (BOG) They report that the army stripped 200 people naked at Al-Shifa Hospital; his whereabouts are unknown
The media reported this About 200 people were blindfolded, interrogated and taken to unknown areas. Witnesses at the hospital interviewed by Al Jazeera said the Israeli soldiers began with 30 people, stripping them of their clothes and taking them to the courtyard of the hospital complex. After the interrogations, other people were taken away and also blindfolded.
The statements are consistent with those of the Hamas-controlled Gaza media office, which said a day earlier that it had received testimonies of people being beaten, stripped and insulted by soldiers; others were thrown out of the hospital, including children.
Israeli soldiers enter the Al-Shifa hospital complex during their ground operation against the Islamist group Hamas while allegedly delivering humanitarian aid to facilities in Gaza City, in this still from a video dated November 15, 2023. © Israel Defense Forces/Via Portal
5:37 (BOG) The Israeli army continues its offensive against Al-Shifa Hospital
For the second day in a row, the main hospital in the Gaza Strip is attacked by the Israeli army. An entire Al-Shifa building: The special surgery building was completely damaged from the inside and Israeli forces blew up a warehouse containing medicines and medical equipment in the facilities, medical sources reported, citing Arabic channel Al Jazeera.
For its part, the army assures that it is a “selective” operation and points out that a secret Hamas command center operates there, inside and below the hospital. Instead, his troops displayed weapons they said they found at the medical center.
However, the hospital management rejected this version. The Islamist movement accused the military of making up “lies” to justify its attacks on health facilities.
With Portal, AP and local media