Al-Shifa raid update: Only thing in hospital is ‘occupation, killing, and death’

Ashraf al-Qudra, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, has given an update on the situation at the al-Shifa Hospital. 

The hospital is the largest medical complex in the Palestinian territory and was raided by Israeli troops early on Wednesday. 

As of Friday afternoon, journalists inside the hospital say there is live fire and bulldozers have destroyed some hospital buildings. 

Ashraf al-Qudra, speaking live to Al Jazeera Arabic, gave the following updates:

- “No water has entered al-Shifa Hospital,” he says, and the only thing there is "occupation, killing, and death"

- People have no access to personal hygiene items and infection is spreading

- There is widespread hunger in the hospital, where over 7,000 civilians are trapped

- Israeli soldiers are destroying equipment, tools, and medical facilities

- He reiterated his calls for a humanitarian corridor into Egypt.

The death toll in Gaza since the start of the war reached 11,500 on Wednesday, according to the Ministry of Health.

However, the ministry has not been able to update the figure since then due to ongoing Israeli bombardment and communication blackouts.

The exact number is expected to be much higher.