In a statement released on Wednesday, Hamas, the Palestinian group that rules Gaza, has accused US President Joe Biden of being “wholly responsible” for the Israeli assault on Gaza’s largest hospital. The accusation comes after the White House claimed that US intelligence sources confirmed Israel’s allegations that Hamas had established an operational center beneath the hospital. Hamas strongly condemned this assertion, stating that it gives Israel permission to carry out more attacks on civilians. The group declared, “The adoption by the White House and the Pentagon of the occupation’s false claim that the resistance is using al-Shifa medical complex for military ends has given the green light to the occupation to commit more massacres against civilians.”
Israeli forces have claimed that their operation against the suspected Hamas command center beneath al-Shifa is precise and targeted. However, Youssef Abul Reesh, an official from the Hamas-run health ministry, reports seeing tanks and dozens of soldiers and commandos inside the hospital complex. The situation is particularly concerning as thousands of civilians seek shelter within the hospital, with an estimated 650 patients and 5,000-7,000 displaced civilians trapped inside and under constant fire from Israeli snipers and drones.
The international community, including the United States, has expressed grave concern over the assault on al-Shifa, emphasizing the need to protect the hospital and its occupants. The White House stated, “We do not support striking a hospital from the air and we don’t want to see a firefight in a hospital.” However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to destroy Hamas in response to their attacks on southern Israel, which resulted in numerous casualties.
Critics argue that Israel must provide irrefutable evidence to support its claim that the hospital has been used as a military base by Hamas. Ardi Imseis, an international law expert at Queen’s University in Canada, highlights Israel’s history of presenting questionable and unverifiable evidence to the international community. Imseis asserts that until Israel provides proof of the hospital’s conversion into a military object, its civilian nature should not be disregarded.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has had devastating consequences, with over 11,300 people killed in Gaza so far. The situation remains tense, with Hamas continuing its attacks on southern Israel and Israel responding with force. The international community, including the United States, faces the challenge of mediating a lasting resolution to this conflict and ensuring the protection of innocent civilians caught in the crossfire.
