Nurses recall horror of Israeli raid, interrogations, saying troops beat and humiliated them as they refused to leave patients behind. The Indonesian Hospital, one of northern Gaza’s largest healthcare facilities, was so severely damaged in Israeli attacks that it may never open again.
The Israeli army, tanks, and snipers laid siege to the hospital in Beit Lahia for days, before targeting its main generator and raiding it in the early hours of Friday, shortly before a four-day truce between Israel and Hamas came into effect. The Ministry of Health in Gaza expressed shock and horror at the scenes left by Israeli forces at the Indonesian Hospital.
According to the ministry, the hospital was undergoing heavy bombardment, and there was fear for the lives of 200 injured people and medical staff. A wounded woman was killed, and at least three others were injured due to intense Israeli fire. The hospital now lies in ruins and is overwhelmed with a large number of wounded people amidst severe shortages in medical supplies.
Eyewitness accounts from journalists and medical staff paint a grim picture of the aftermath. Corridors have been turned into makeshift wards, and surgeons are operating on the floor. Outside the hospital, the stench of death fills the air as charred and decomposing bodies, including children, pile up in corners. Burials have been delayed because Israeli snipers targeted anyone attempting to dig graves.
Anas al-Sharif, a journalist on the ground, reported major destruction and damage inflicted on the hospital by Israeli occupation forces. Nurses who survived the raid and interrogation recall the terror they experienced. They pleaded with the Israeli forces, explaining that they were nurses and civilians, and that there were children and sick people in the hospital. Despite their pleas, they were interrogated and subjected to fear and panic.
The male nurse from the emergency department described how Israeli forces targeted the fourth floor, cutting off electricity and solar power to the buildings. He shared his ordeal of being beaten and questioned about the hospital, Israeli captives, and hostages. Despite the abuse, he vowed to stay with his patients until the end.
The Indonesian Hospital was not only a healthcare facility but also a refuge for hundreds of displaced people near the Jabalia refugee camp. With the facility now out of service and the damage extensive, there are doubts about whether it will ever reopen.
This incident adds to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has resulted in the destruction of vital infrastructure and loss of innocent lives. The international community is urged to address the situation and seek a peaceful resolution to prevent further suffering.
