Gaza / PNN / Mona Bakr – 

Walking through the halls of Al-Shifa Medical Complex, it feels as if one is witnessing the horrors of an apocalyptic scene. What was once the largest and most vital hospital in Palestine now stands in ruins, completely devastated by the Israeli military during the catastrophic March offensive. The hospital has ceased all operations after its buildings were burned, facilities destroyed, and courtyards bulldozed. Patient beds lie empty, medical equipment is shattered and charred, and towering piles of rubble serve as silent witnesses to a humanitarian disaster.

Inside Al-Shifa, debris is stacked upon debris. The stench of death mingles with the acrid smell of burned medical supplies. This is not a scene from a movie—it is the grim reality of what remains of the hospital.

A Doctor’s Testimony

Dr. Manar Fayadh, a Palestinian physician, detailed the horrors that unfolded within the hospital during its siege in a report prepared by journalist Mona Bakr as part of WAN-IFRA/WIN’s global news initiative, published by the Palestine News Network (PNN).

According to Fayadh, the Israeli military gradually encircled Al-Shifa under the pretext of searching for hostages, launching relentless strikes and fire belts around the hospital. Despite the siege and bombardment, tens of thousands of medical personnel refused to abandon their posts, committed to their national duty and humanitarian mission amid a brutal war.

At the time of the attack, Al-Shifa housed approximately 1,500 medical staff, 700 patients, 39 premature infants, and around 7,000 displaced civilians. As the hospital and other medical facilities across Gaza came under sustained Israeli bombardment, 24 out of the territory’s 35 hospitals were forced out of service, transforming them into war zones.

Surgeries on Cardboard, Amputations Without Anesthesia

Fayadh, alongside Dr. Adnan Al-Bursh and other doctors, conducted dozens of surgeries in the hospital’s hallways—on makeshift operating tables fashioned from cardboard. Tens of thousands of amputations were performed without anesthesia, with patients lying on the cold, debris-laden floors. Medical shortages made an already dire situation even worse.

Fayadh was confronted with personal tragedy when he found his own brother among the wounded. His brother later succumbed to his injuries. Meanwhile, inside the operating theatre, the ceiling began to collapse bit by bit as Israeli strikes rattled the building. The situation was beyond dire—bodies decomposed, stray dogs gnawed at corpses, and bacteria-infested maggots emerged from the bodies of the wounded.

With the hospital cut off from electricity due to fuel shortages, critically ill patients were left to die. Dozens perished in intensive care, and newborns in incubators took their final breaths as the medical staff watched, powerless to save them.

Israeli forces tightened their siege, firing at anyone who moved within the hospital grounds. Dozens of bodies were taken from the hospital morgue and transported to unknown locations.

A Child’s Plea for Comfort Amid Horror

Throughout his time at Al-Shifa, Fayadh witnessed countless harrowing moments. But one memory stands out: a young girl named Hala, just six years old, arrived at the hospital with severe burns covering her body and fractures in both legs. Through her agony, she reached for his hand, seeking comfort. She clutched his fingers tightly, pressing his hand against her tiny chest, trying to quell the terror consuming her. "Hala needed psychological support as much as medical care," Fayadh recalled. "She was just a child, yet she endured unimaginable pain."

A War Against Medical Workers

Israeli forces treated doctors and medical staff as enemy combatants. They deliberately targeted healthcare workers, arresting and brutally assaulting them while depriving them of essential supplies. The once-thriving hospital was reduced to ashes—burned, bulldozed, and rendered entirely nonfunctional.

By systematically dismantling Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure, the Israeli military did more than destroy a hospital—it aimed to eliminate any possibility of saving lives, marking yet another chapter in its war against the people of Gaza.

Survival and Resilience: A Doctor’s Struggle Inside Al-Shifa

Despite facing overwhelming challenges during the siege, Dr. Manar Fayadh remained steadfast in his mission to save lives. With dwindling medical supplies, he resorted to alternative treatments, doing everything in his power to keep patients alive. Alongside Dr. Adnan Al-Bursh, Fayadh refused to abandon the wounded, declaring, "We are people of this land, we have rights, and we will not be intimidated by the Israeli occupation." He offered moral support to fellow doctors, strengthening their resolve amid the dire circumstances.

As the siege continued, Fayadh came to a grim realization—no international law truly protects hospitals. "We endured humiliation and profound psychological trauma, witnessing horrors no medical professional should ever see," he recounted.

Targeting of Medical Workers

Israeli forces systematically targeted healthcare personnel. Doctors were beaten, their hands bound, their eyes blindfolded. Stripped of their clothes in the hospital courtyards, many were detained, including Al-Shifa’s director, Dr. Mohammad Abu Salmiya, who was brutally mistreated and imprisoned. Dr. Adnan Al-Bursh suffered an even worse fate—arrested, tortured, and ultimately killed during interrogation.

A Devastated Hospital, An Unbroken Spirit

Upon returning to northern Gaza after being forcibly displaced, Fayadh visited the remains of Al-Shifa. The devastation was beyond comprehension. "What we saw in the media could not capture the full extent of the destruction—it was far worse. The hospital had become a ghost town, obliterated by Israeli airstrikes," he said.

Yet despite the horrors, he remained resolute: "With the help of the free world, we will rebuild." Fayadh refused to abandon his post, staying at the hospital to fulfil the humanitarian mission he had dedicated his life to. His message was clear—nothing would break the spirit of Gaza’s doctors. They would continue to stand firm, saving lives, no matter the cost.