In the narrative divulged by an IDF officer regarding the Shifa Hospital operation, the stark reality emerges that seeking medical refuge should not entail jeopardizing one’s own life. The peril extends beyond personal safety to the inhabitants of Gaza, creating an untenable situation for everyone in its proximity.
Navigating the hospital complex proved intricate, with the IDF contingent accompanied by Special Forces. Their journey necessitated passage through a warehouse housing a considerable arsenal of ammunition, firearms, and explosives earmarked for disposal. As we ventured, the IDF forces on our left and the still-operational compound on our right created a palpable atmosphere. Everything beyond this point was presumed to harbor a robust Hamas presence.
During the initial foray into Shifa, the forces, accompanied by a bomb-sniffing dog, unearthed a truck laden with ammunition. The revelation of a shaft, uncovered by the D9, presented a circular opening that obscured the view of its depths. Subsequent investigations, employing specialized tools, disclosed a 10-meter-deep shaft leading to a corridor. At the corridor’s terminus stood a blast-proof door, complete with a strategically positioned shooting aperture.
Ensuring the dismantling of all defense mechanisms, our forces opened the initial blast-proof door, only to unveil another door leading deeper into the complex. The realization that this tunnel snaked beneath the hospital, a facility previously aided by our forces in delivering essential medical supplies such as equipment, baby formula, diapers, and incubators, added a layer of complexity to the unfolding operation. All this unfolded against the backdrop of the ongoing mission in close proximity to the hospital structure.
