Al-Shifa Hospital Safely Evacuates Premature Babies Amidst Gaza Conflict

Around 31 premature babies have been evacuated from al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, which has been described by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a "death zone". These babies have been relocated to a hospital in Rafah, close to the Egyptian border. Many individuals, including patients, left al-Shifa hospital on Saturday. However, the hospital is currently being controlled by Israeli troops who are searching for evidence that it served as a headquarters for Hamas. Israel has launched a retaliatory operation against Hamas, aiming to eliminate the group. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, the death toll in Gaza has risen to 12,300 since the start of the conflict. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) occupied al-Shifa hospital on Wednesday as part of their operation against Hamas. The hospital has been experiencing a severe lack of power, food, and water for several days, and doctors have expressed concern about the deteriorating conditions. While hundreds of people, including patients, were evacuated from the hospital, around 300 critically-ill patients, along with more than 30 premature babies, remained. The evacuation of the babies was announced by the Red Crescent and the Hamas-run health ministry. Israel has not yet commented on the situation, but had previously stated that it would assist in evacuating the babies to a safer hospital. Medical staff at al-Shifa hospital have reported that newborn babies have died due to the power being cut off in the incubators caused by a lack of fuel. The evacuation of the babies follows a visit from a UN humanitarian assessment team led by the WHO, who characterized the hospital as a "death zone" due to the ongoing heavy fighting in close proximity. The director of the hospital, Dr. Muhammad Abu Salima, has called on the WHO and the UN to assist the remaining medical teams and patients in leaving the desolated hospital. Dr. Salima has described the hospital as a ghost house, with corpses in the emergency department, patients in distress, and the medical staff feeling helpless while Israeli troops freely walk around the premises. Israel claims that Hamas has a command center under al-Shifa hospital, a claim which Hamas denies, but substantial evidence to support this assertion has not yet been provided. Israeli military spokesperson Lt Col Jonathan Conricus stated earlier this week that it may take weeks to thoroughly search the medical complex.