Al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s largest medical facility, has yielded yet another mass grave, this time revealing the remains of 49 individuals. This latest finding marks the third such mass grave uncovered within the hospital’s premises, underscoring the devastating impact of the ongoing conflict on the civilian population.
According to reports, the unearthing of this mass grave coincides with the intensified Israeli bombardment of Rafah, which took place even as negotiations for a ceasefire were underway in Cairo and Doha. Disregarding international concerns, Israel deployed tanks to Rafah and seized control of the Rafah crossing, a crucial lifeline for the delivery of aid to the besieged region.
The Israeli military has yet to comment on the discovery of the third mass grave at the Al-Shifa Hospital. Footage from social media shows at least a dozen bodies wrapped in black plastic bags, with the head of the hospital’s emergency department, Mutasim Salah, acknowledging that some of the remains are quite old.
This latest discovery follows the unearthing of two previous mass graves from the hospital last month, which contained around 30 bodies. According to the Gaza Media Office, a total of 520 bodies have now been recovered from the “7 mass graves” found in various hospitals across Gaza in recent weeks.