Hospital in ruins

Israelis pull out leaving death & destruction

- CHRIS HUGHES

ISRAELI forces yesterday pulled out of the al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, leaving the entire medical complex in ruins, and the grounds littered with corpses.

Israel claims to have killed 200 militants and detained hundreds more during the two-week onslaught against the hospital.

Gaza's health workers said around 300 people were killed by Israel during the al-Shifa operation.

Mohammed Mahdi was among those who returned yesterday, and described "total destruction", with several buildings burned down.

He counted six bodies in the area, including two in the courtyard.

Another witness, Yahia Abu Auf, said Israeli army bulldozers had ploughed over a makeshift cemetery inside the hospital compound.