Confirmation that the Gaza Strip’s biggest hospital, under which Israel says Hamas runs a major command and control base, comes from a British doctor who had work at Al-Shifa and other hospitals in the region for three-months, three years ago.

 

 

Declining to give his name for fear of what may happen to colleagues still there, he spoke with French media.

”When I was first asked to work there (at Shifa), I was told there was a part of the hospital I was not to go near, and if I did, I’d be in danger of being shot,” he told France24.

Asked if he received an explanation why that was, the physician said no.

”… but implicit was that it was being used for non-medical purposes.

I stayed away but i saw a few dodgy-looking non-medical characters going in and out all the time.

It was a ward leading to a basement.”

The physician said he could not stress enough the air of collective paranoia that existed there.

”The doctors and nurses there were very welcoming and very kind, and the hushed tones under which this was said were consistent with all the other hushed tones with which Hamas was discussed.

You know, people were genuinely fearful.”

He also pointed out if staff were 10% frightened of possible Israeli airstrikes, they were 90% frightened of being persecuted by Hamas.