In a horrifying discovery, health workers in northern Gaza have exhumed the first corpses from mass graves surrounding Al-Shifa Hospital. According to reports, at least 381 bodies have been recovered from the vicinity of the hospital since Israeli forces withdrew on April 1. These figures, provided by Gaza Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal, exclude individuals buried within the hospital grounds.

The gruesome findings reveal that many of the remains had been buried or left above ground, some crushed to the point of being unrecognizable. Witnesses and trapped civilians attest to the fact that the vicinity of the hospital was "full of bodies" during Israeli forces' two-week siege of the complex.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) were finally able to access Al-Shifa Hospital earlier this month, after Israel repeatedly denied humanitarian teams entry. Staff from these organizations, along with local workers, have been tirelessly searching for bodies within the hospital complex.

Ahmad Alaiwa, a doctor at Al-Shifa, described their mission as one to "recover the remains of the bodies who are in the sand mounds that the Israeli occupation have plowed in a big pile." Some bodies were found buried under dirt or plastic sheeting, highlighting the desperate conditions and lack of respect for human life.

The impact on the medical system in Gaza has been devastating. The hospital's specialized facilities are now completely out of service, making rescue and recovery operations increasingly challenging. Motasem Salah, an official from the Ministry of Health in Gaza leading the recovery efforts, attested to the overwhelming smell of death and the need to identify the bodies of loved ones.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stated that their operations at Al-Shifa were aimed at eliminating terrorist elements within the hospital, citing intelligence reports. They claimed to have apprehended approximately 500 suspects affiliated with terrorist organizations and eliminated 200 terrorists. However, CNN cannot independently verify these statements.

UN experts have accused Israel of denying access to healthcare for those most in need and have condemned the targeting of hospitals in wartime. The extent of the atrocities committed during the siege is still being documented, but it is already being described as the most horrific assault on Gaza's hospitals.

This shocking revelation further deepens the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. The IDF launched its military offensive in Gaza after Hamas attacked Israel, resulting in numerous casualties. The Ministry of Health in Gaza reports that Israeli attacks have killed at least 33,360 Palestinians and injured another 75,993 people.

As the recovery efforts continue, families are finally able to find closure in identifying their missing loved ones. The impact of this tragedy on the medical system in Gaza underscores the urgent need for international assistance and intervention to end the cycle of violence and restore the well-being of the region's residents.