'Israel' killed over 400 in Al-Shifa, Resistance vows steadfastness

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
1 Apr 2024 19:52
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The Government Media Office in Gaza says that the Israeli occupation detained around 300 people from Al-Shifa Hospital and its vicinity while 100 individuals remain missing.

Palestinians inspect the damage and look for survivors and bodies of martyrs outside the Al-Shifa Medical Complex after the Israeli occupation army's withdrawal on April 1, 2024 (AFP)

Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement - Hamas condemned the brutal Israeli crimes in the Al-Shifa Medical Complex and its surroundings, which have gone beyond the bounds of civilization and humanity, and held the administration of President Joe Biden responsible for the "horrific crime" as it continues to back and support the occupation.

After 14 days of seige and occupation of the medical facility, Israeli occupation forces withdrew from the Al-Shifa late Sunday, leaving behind hundreds of bodies both inside the hospital and in its vicinity, in addition to mass destruction, leaving the hospital completely out of service.

The Resistance group highlighted some vital points "in light of this morning's revelations following the withdrawal of the terrorist occupation army from the Al-Shifa Medical Complex and its surroundings," in addition to "the immense destruction that has befallen the area, caused by the killing and terror machine of this barbaric and lawless army .. and the horrifying executions discovered, as well as the bodies of martyrs found tied-up and buried alive .. or those crushed by tanks, in addition to other atrocities."

Hamas emphasized that "this horrific crime confirms the nature of this rogue fascist entity, which has deviated from the values of civilization and humanity, and whose crimes and violations have exceeded all limits," as it continues to "carry out the genocidal war against civilians in Gaza" and destroy the Strip's civil infrastructure, with "unconditional support from the administration of US President Biden," while the world watches in silence.

On that note, it held the US administration and Biden "personally responsible for the full responsibility for the crimes, massacres, and systematic destruction of civilian life in the Gaza Strip, including the health sector and hospitals, which are carried out with American weapons and all forms of military and political support."

The statement also pointed out that "the extent of destruction and killing in which the enemy excels does not mean that it achieves any victory over the will of our people, who are holding on to their land and identity," and that "this barbaric attack on the Gaza Strip once again confirms the enemy's goal of forcing our people to leave their land as part of its plans to end the Palestinian cause."

Hamas demanded "that the international community and the United Nations condemn this heinous crime committed by the criminal Zionist enemy against the Al-Shifa Complex and its surroundings and the citizens therein" and called on them to "immediately enter Gaza City and record the extent of the crime that has been committed."

Furthermore, the Palestinian Resistance movement called "on international judicial bodies, especially the International Criminal Court, to begin actual proceedings to investigate the crimes and atrocities that have occurred at the Al-Shifa Medical Complex and its surroundings," in addition to all crimes Israelis have committed since last October.

"We urge them to look into the dozens of complaints and requests for an investigation into Zionist crimes against our defenseless people and to carry out their mission to hold the leaders of this entity accountable and bring them to justice."

Concluding the statement, Hamas affirmed that "these Nazi crimes" will not undermine or weaken the "resolve of our steadfast people and brave Resistance," which is confronting the brutal aggression with courage and spirit of sacrifice.

It also called on "the free people of the world and the masses of our Arab and Islamic nation to rise and intensify pressure on this barbaric enemy and its supporters and to provide all forms of support to our Palestinian people and their Resistance" until the Israeli war objectives are defeated and the aspirations of our people for freedom, independence, and the recovery of their land and holy places are achieved.

Break the barriers of silence and fear: PIJ

On its part, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement condemned the silence of the Arab and Islamic countries amid the ongoing Israeli crimes in Gaza and called on the "free people" to rise and reject the occupation's brutality in Gaza and "break the barrier of silence and fear."

"The war crimes committed by the Zionist enemy at the Al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza, and its brazen admission to these crimes, including the invasion of the complex, the targeting of medical staff, patients, and displaced persons, field executions, bombing of surrounding buildings, burning the entire complex, and acts of torture and desecration, are a blatant mockery of all values, laws, and human norms," the party said.

The Resistance group pointed out that Israeli occupation seeks "to convey to the world that it is above the law and accountability and does not care about values or public opinion, as long as it possesses the power and brutality to continue its genocide for the past six months."

Washington has been supplying the occupation entity with weapons and equipment since last October to be used in the war on Gaza. The Washington Post revealed last week that the latest arms provision to "Israel" includes nearly 1,800 1-ton bombs.

In this context, the Resistance group held the United States responsible for the crimes committed by the occupation entity, as it supplies it with weapons, "participates in [war] planning," and provides it with political and legal immunity.

The Israeli crimes "could not have continued without absolute American support," the PIJ said.

"We also hold the relevant international institutions, especially the United Nations and the International Court of Justice, responsible for their failure to provide the necessary means to implement their decisions and hold the enemy accountable, even though these decisions themselves are far from fair to our people."

Furthermore, the group condemned the silence of Arab and Islamic governments, "which are at many times participating in the blockade on Gaza, including both its people and Resistance."

However, the PIJ called on the "Arab and Islamic peoples and all the free people of the world to break the barriers of silence and fear and to be active in all arenas" in protest of the Israeli war on Gaza, "as this alone will compel the enemy, its followers, and Western sponsors to stop this genocide."

Additionally, the Palestinian movement called upon "our people in al-Quds, the West Bank, and the occupied [1948] territories to confront the enemy with all means and capabilities and not allow the occupation to isolate a part of the Palestinian people," stressing that the entity's criminal agenda "will not spare anyone."

The PIJ "saluted the protesters in Jordan, Morocco, and elsewhere," and expressed its "surprise by the silence of Arab parties, forces, Shariah scholars, and fatwa issuers, in fulfilling their duty to support [Palestinians], while witnessing bloodshed and lives lost."

Finally, the Islamic Jihad Resistance movement vowed to "[its] people that the enemy will pay the price for its crimes and that steadfastness in resistance is the only way to confront the Nazi-Zionist occupation."

Continue the pressure: PFLP

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said in a statement that "the occupation committed one of the most brutal massacres since the beginning of the aggression, targeting civilians and displaced persons at the Al-Shifa Medical Complex."

The Front emphasized that "the criminal Zionist ideology continues its genocidal operations in the Gaza Strip unabated, armed with the encouraging stance and behavior of the Americans, which have been a motivating factor for it to continue the war of genocide."

"Meanwhile, the international community has failed to prevent these crimes and has not moved a finger to stop this massacre or prevent the targeting, intrusion, and destruction of hospitals, which are among the most sacred places that must be protected .. under international law," the Front added.

It called on supporters of the Palestinian people worldwide, solidarity movements, and Palestinian and Arab communities to "continue their ongoing pressure on the United States and its allied countries," emphasizing the necessity of "besieging Zionist and American embassies and international institutions to pressure for an end to the aggression and the war of genocide."

Enabling the genocide: Government Media Office

The Government Media Office in Gaza also denounced the occupation's crime in the Al-Shifa Medical Complex, pointing out that "Israel" killed more than 400 Palestinian civilians in the hospital and its vicinity and detained around 300 people while almost 100 remain missing.

It also strongly condemned the crime committed by the occupation, which "falls under the act of genocide against the Palestinian people."

In a statement, the office emphasized that "[Biden's] administration, the international community, and the Israeli occupation bear full responsibility for the crimes committed." It stressed that the US and other world powers "have enabled the occupation to commit these crimes with impunity," highlighting that Washington "has obstructed UNSC resolutions aimed at halting the genocidal war against the Palestinian people in Gaza."

The office continued that, upon withdrawing from the hospital and its surroundings, the occupation left behind "a trail of mass destruction" with crimes against humanity and international law unraveling.

“The occupation deliberately destroyed, burned, and demolished all buildings and departments without exception, in a clear crime that shames humanity,” it said in a statement, calling for the establishment of field hospitals to "save whatever is left of the [Gaza] healthcare system".

The Israeli occupation "tried to hide its heinous crime of executing hundreds of civilians," including those who were wounded and sick inside the Complex "by covering the bodies with piles of sand, bulldozing them, and burying them inside the health facility," the Media Office revealed.

Concluding its press release, the office urged all nations and international bodies, including the United Nations, to condemn this blatant violation of international law, humanitarian principles, the Geneva Conventions, and human rights agreements.