The Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical facility in Gaza, is now confronting the threat of forced evacuation as Israel pressures medical facilities to relocate thousands of patients and equipment to southern Gaza, warning that failure to comply may result in the hospital's closure.
The ongoing nearly two-year conflict has severely devastated the Gaza Strip's healthcare system, and the recent intensification of Israeli military operations in Gaza City has once again placed hospitals and patients in grave danger.
Al-Shifa Hospital has already suffered extensive damage from repeated Israeli strikes, operating at only about 10 percent of its pre-war capacity. Despite efforts to resume services in March this year with support from the United Nations and the World Health Organization, shortages of medical supplies have forced the hospital to treat patients in makeshift outdoor wards.
Hospital officials warn that transferring the remaining patients and vital equipment to southern Gaza is nearly impossible, as the region's medical facilities are already overwhelmed and lack the capacity to accept more patients.
"Al-Shifa Hospital now has only 14 ICU beds, which are occupied around the clock. Triage of patients is extremely difficult here. The hospital has four operating rooms running continuously, performing approximately 45 to 55 surgeries daily. Transferring these services to other areas is nearly impossible," said Hassan Al-Shaer, the medical director of the hospital.
The Israeli military has expanded its operations in Gaza City in recent weeks, warning civilians to evacuate before launching air and ground attacks. Thousands of patients remain trapped in a dire situation, with no clear prospects.
"We are all unarmed civilians. Where can we go in southern Gaza? There are no hospitals able to accommodate us at all. Although medical services here are limited and supplies are scarce, at least there are doctors to care for us," said Mahmoud Dabbous, a patient.
"Our current situation is difficult, but at least somewhat stable. In the south, there are no medicines, no medical facilities, no doctors, and no equipment. Why should we go there? And how can we receive treatment under such conditions?" said Yahya Yazigi, another patient.
UN officials have warned that the healthcare infrastructure in southern Gaza is already strained beyond capacity, with hospitals overwhelmed and staff working under extreme pressure. If Israel's military campaign continues to target Gaza's northern regions and hospitals are forcibly evacuated or shut down, the consequences could be catastrophic. The entire healthcare system and civilian lives in Gaza face a mounting humanitarian disaster, with limited options to respond as conditions worsen.
Gaza's largest hospital faces forced evacuation under Israel's pressure
