# Israeli Troops’ Alleged Assault on Palestinian Hospital Raises International Concern
## Incursion into Al Shifa Hospital
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Recently, alarming reports emerged from the Gaza Strip, where a group of Israeli soldiers allegedly broke into the emergency room of the Al Shifa hospital, the largest medical center in the area, and attacked patients. Mohamad Zakut, the general director of Gaza’s medical institutions, publicly decried the actions of the Israeli troops, asserting that they “stormed the emergency room and attacked the patients,” according to an interview with television channel Al Mayadeen.
## Escalation of Hostilities
This incident occurred on a backdrop of escalating violence and hostilities between Israel and Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) had announced an operation within the hospital complex on November 15, 2023, pledging to make every effort to prevent civilian casualties. Yet, the Palestinian Minister of Health, Maya Al Qeila, reported that Israeli tanks had previously surrounded Al Shifa hospital, leaving countless patients, reliant on life support, in a dire situation.
Further reports from Doctors Without Borders indicated a grim state within the hospital walls, with some 600 patients, among them 37 infants, left in a vulnerable position amidst the ongoing conflict.
## Unprecedented Attacks on Medical Infrastructure
The World Health Organization (WHO) has sent out an alert to the international community, flagging that the severity of the attacks on Gaza’s medical facilities by Israeli forces is without precedent in the annals of conflict history.
On October 7, Palestinian forces under Hamas launched a significant offensive involving thousands of missiles targeted at southern Israel and carried out an infiltration operation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded by declaring a state of war and mobilizing a substantial number of reservists to engage in intensive aerial bombardments across the Gaza Strip.
## The Toll of the Conflict
The protracted conflict has tragically resulted in the deaths of approximately 11,500 civilians, mainly women and children, in Gaza, and an excess of 1,200 in Israel. This spiraling violence has prompted international calls for both parties to pull back from further confrontations.
## Seeking a Path to Peace
The path to peace is being sought through discussions concerning a two-state solution, an approach endorsed by the United Nations back in 1947. Despite Israel publically recognizing the two-state concept, the withdrawal from Palestinian territories remains incomplete.
## International Calls for Restraint
The international community continues to watch the situation with vigilance and concern, advocating for a cessation of aggression and the resumption of peaceful discourse between the Israeli and Palestinian leaderships. The hope is to finally reach a sustainable solution that ensures the safety and coexistence of both states and their people.