The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on Tuesday that they had extended an offer to Shifa Hospital in Gaza to provide incubators from an Israeli hospital in order to aid in the care of hospitalized infants. A recorded phone call released by the military revealed that the hospital manager responded positively to the offer and also requested ventilators for children in the medical facility. Regrettably, the proposal met with a Palestinian refusal. Israeli authorities emphasized that the humanitarian aid was extended with the understanding that the conflict was directed against Hamas, rather than the civilian population of Gaza.
In a recorded conversation released by the IDF, a senior officer from the Coordination and Liaison Directorate in Gaza engaged in a discussion with the director of Shifa Hospital. The Israeli officer stated, "We are ready to provide you with any assistance you need to evacuate the children and patients. We're ready to provide you with an incubator, I'll put it at the hospital gate - does that help?". The manager responded affirmatively, and the officer revealed that there were 37 incubators available for them. The hospital manager reiterated his acceptance. The officer further inquired, "Besides the incubator, do you need anything else?" The manager expressed a need for four ventilators for children in the hospital. However, despite these offers of assistance, the IDF reported that the offer to help Shifa Hospital "was not accepted" in the end, likely due to pressure from Hamas, which is known to use the hospital as part of its headquarters.
A nurse in Shifa hospital in Gaza happily announcing that her husband became a martyr. Look at her genuine happiness as she is hugging her daughter š
ā Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) November 14, 2023
We will have peace only when they value life more than death.
pic.twitter.com/sU1FZvMW31
It is essential to note that Shifa Hospital is the largest healthcare facility in the Gaza Strip. In recent weeks, thousands of people have sought refuge within its walls to escape the bombings carried out by the IDF. As time passed, the IDF positioned its forces closer to the hospital in preparation for a potential operation targeting senior Hamas officials. Israeli intelligence indicated that the primary headquarters of Hamas was situated beneath the hospital, and the terrorist organization was launching attacks from it, similar to other hospitals in Gaza. Such actions are considered war crimes under international law.
Following the IDF's offer of humanitarian assistance to the director general of the Shifa Hospital, the IDF initiated a humanitarian effort to coordinate transfer of incubators from a hospital in Israel to the Shifa Hospital in the Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/fitejzWFUZ
ā ××××Ø ×¦××“× ×× ××× ×××Ø× - Daniel Hagari (@IDFSpokesperson) November 14, 2023
In the recent days, the situation at Shifa Hospital has become increasingly dire due to dwindling supplies of fuel and electricity. Senior officials at the medical institution have reported that it is no longer functioning. According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, which is under the control of Hamas, approximately 100 bodies have accumulated within the hospital compound. The failure to bury these bodies has resulted in a severe sanitary crisis.
