Ayman Al-Masri joined thousands seeking safety in southern Gaza Strip on Friday after fleeing the main hospital in the region, which Palestinian officials said was struck by an Israeli airstrike. Al-Masri had taken refuge at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City with his mother and sister ten days ago after receiving treatment for a leg injury at another hospital. Their hopes of finding safety vanished after the attack, which Palestinian officials claimed resulted in one death and injuries to others sheltering at Al-Shifa, one of several hospitals they reported as being bombarded on Friday.
Al-Masri told Reuters as he headed south with others—some carrying personal belongings while others raised white flags—that he and his family traveled three kilometers before encountering advancing Israeli tanks into the city, then walked a few more kilometers past the tanks before finding a means of transport.
### Chaotic Scenes
A woman who fled Al-Shifa on Friday stated she was receiving treatment for a wound in the maternity department. She added, "We were on the fifth floor treating previous injuries when we were caught by the shelling."
A video that circulated on social media, verified by Reuters, showed chaotic scenes in an outer area near the outpatient department of Al-Shifa Hospital. A girl was seen crying in pain while wearing a purple shirt stained with blood on her face, neck, and hands, which she was waving in distress. A boy lay motionless on a wooden board on the ground with a pool of blood under his head.
A man remained still under a bench, while a woman dressed in black sat on a chair beside him. Clothes and other personal items were scattered everywhere, with blood on the floor. The sounds of people screaming, crying, and groaning filled the air. There was also a man assisting an elderly woman who was crying, while two men carried a young man, one holding his feet and the other his hands.
