From Healthcare Facility to Refuge to Tragic Blaze: Palestinian Civilians Face Yet Another Lost Haven in Gaza

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The open space of the al-Ahli Hospital, once a refuge for thousands of Palestinians seeking medical aid or temporary sanctuary, is now a scene of devastation. Scorched vehicles, ash-covered stretchers, and mutilated toys lie in the aftermath of a calamitous explosion that transpired on a recent Tuesday.

The explosion tore through men, women, and children, leaving victims burned alive. The incident has sparked protests throughout the region, amplifying the tensions in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Mohammed al-Hayek had briefly left the hospital premises to get coffee. Navigating through a crowd of people who had sought refuge in the hospital to escape potential Israeli airstrikes, his absence during the explosion fortuitously spared his life. Upon returning, he found his five cousins reduced to fragments, their blood staining the walls of the hospital.

“Shahir and Mutasim were here,” al-Hayek indicated, referring to his young cousins who were in their early twenties.

Responsibility for the explosion remains a matter of dispute. Israel has been conducting airstrikes, while Palestinian militants have been firing rockets since the onset of hostilities on October 7. Officials in Gaza attributed the hospital explosion to an Israeli airstrike, a claim Israel refutes. They have released purported evidence suggesting that Islamic Jihad, another Palestinian militant group, caused the explosion by a misfired rocket. Islamic Jihad has rejected this allegation.

The Big Big News has not independently corroborated any of the claims made by the involved parties.

Dr. Fadhil Naim, an orthopedic surgeon, was in the midst of a brief respite between surgical procedures when he was jolted by a thunderous noise around 7 p.m. Initially dismissing it as yet another airstrike, his realization of the true scale of the catastrophe came when casualties began flooding into the surgical ward.

“People were alive, and then they perished in our arms due to a lack of sufficient medical personnel to save everyone,” Dr. Naim recounted.

Upon stepping into the courtyard, he witnessed it filled with lifeless bodies.

Saeb al-Jarz, a 27-year-old man, was at Shifa, Gaza’s primary hospital, attending to his mother when the explosion occurred. His recollections are fragmented: burning cars, victims in a state of shock, and a courtyard strewn with human remains. Amid the chaos, he saw a young girl being escorted by a rescue worker, holding a doll and searching for her mother.

“It was a terrifying experience,” al-Jarz stated.

Shifa hospital soon became overwhelmed with casualties, exacerbated by dwindling fuel supplies after Israel halted fuel shipments. This led to the shutdown of Gaza’s sole power plant.

The casualty count remains contentious even among Palestinians. Various sources have provided different numbers, ranging from hundreds to close to 500.

In the broader context, the conflict has resulted in significant loss of life. According to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, over 3,000 Palestinians have died, while Israeli sources claim more than 1,400 casualties on their side, predominantly civilians.

Israel has escalated its military actions, aiming to neutralize Hamas, and has called for the evacuation of more than a million Palestinians. Israeli authorities assert that their actions aim to segregate civilians from militants, accusing Hamas of using Palestinians as human shields.

Many Palestinians had sought refuge in hospitals, including al-Ahli, considering them relatively safe havens. The hospital, established in 1882 and administered by a branch of the Anglican Communion, was perceived as particularly secure due to its international affiliations.

Suhaila Tarazi, the general director of al-Ahli, expressed her anguish: “This was a sanctuary for everyone, irrespective of their faith. Now it serves as neither.”

Bishop Hosam Naoum of the Anglican Church in Jerusalem indicated that the hospital had received multiple evacuation warnings from the Israeli military prior to the explosion. Staff members declined to comply, fearing patient endangerment.

Families who survived the explosion are now navigating through a devastated landscape in search of a new refuge, their previous sanctuary obliterated.

“The senseless violence underscores the cruelty and hopelessness of the present conflict,” said Rev. Canon Nicholas Porter, an American fundraising representative for the Anglican church.

“In the end, it is the vulnerable, the infirm, and the innocent who appear to be bearing the brunt of this conflict.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about al-Ahli Hospital Tragedy

More about al-Ahli Hospital Tragedy

• Timeline of Israel-Hamas Conflict
• International Law and Hospital Attacks
• Gaza’s Healthcare System Under Strain
• Witness Accounts from al-Ahli Hospital
• Profile of Anglican Bishop Hosam Naoum
• Role of International Organizations in Gaza
• Analysis of Civilian Casualties in Israel-Hamas Wars
• Disputed Territories and Regional Politics
• Status of Fuel and Energy Crisis in Gaza
• Fact-Checking Claims on Responsibility for Attacks