Israeli troops show what they claim is ‘concrete’ evidence that Hamas was using Gaza’s Al Shifa hospital as a terrorist base – but admit they have not yet found tunnels or an advanced command centre

Israel has claimed to have discovered ‘concrete’ proof that Gaza’s greatest hospital Al Shifa was getting used as a terrorist base after tons of of commandos raided it early yesterday.

The IDF revealed proof of weaponry which it mentioned proved the hospital was a terrorist base, with spokesman Lt Col Jonathan Conricus exhibiting a duffel bag hidden behind a hospital MRI machine containing an AK47 assault rifle, grenades, ammunition and a uniform. 

He additionally mentioned a backpack contained ‘what gave the impression to be essential intelligence together with a laptop computer’, and dadded that safety cameras in a single a part of the hospital had been taped over. 

Behind one other MRI machine extra weapons had been mentioned to have been discovered and in an adjoining room on high of one other MRI scanner was a bag containing ‘full army equipment for one terrorist, together with ammunition, a stay grenade and AK47 and physique armour’.

‘These weapons haven’t any enterprise being in a hospital,’ Conricus mentioned as he toured the hospital in a clip launched by the IDF. 

Inside a cupboard for medical tools was one other holdall containing a knife, a Hamas emblem, AK47 and ammunition, in keeping with the spokesman.

However the IDF’s search confirmed no indicators of tunnels or a classy command centre that many believed can be found beneath the ability. 

Information of the IDF hospital raid got here round 2am native time on Wednesday. 

Docs mentioned they got half-hour’ discover of the Israeli operation earlier than not less than six battle tanks moved in on the complicated. Troops entered the hospital a short while afterwards.

Officers from Israel and Gaza introduced very totally different accounts of what was occurring within the hospital. 

The Israeli military launched video exhibiting troopers carrying packing containers labelled as ‘child meals’ and ‘medical provides,’ whereas well being officers talked of terrified employees and sufferers as troops moved by means of the buildings. 

‘We’ve found weapons and different issues. We entered the hospital on the premise of actionable intelligence,’ Mark Regev, an advisor to the Israeli Prime Minister mentioned.

One other senior Israeli authorities official, who declined to be named, mentioned: ‘IDF (Israel Defence Forces) troopers have already discovered weapons and different terror infrastructure. We noticed concrete proof that Hamas terrorists used the Shifa hospital as a terror headquarters.’

However the Palestinian Authority within the West Financial institution condemned the army operation as ‘a criminal offense in opposition to humanity’ and challenged Israel to supply proof of their claims.

The Israeli army mentioned it was finishing up a ‘exact and focused operation in opposition to Hamas in a specified space within the hospital,’ and that its troopers had been accompanied by medical groups bringing in incubators and different provides.

It added that forces had been additionally trying to find hostages. 

In a press release, the IDF mentioned: ‘Because the troopers entered the hospital complicated, they engaged with a variety of terrorists and killed them. 

‘Following this, throughout searches in one of many departments of the hospital, the troops positioned a room with technological property, together with army and fight tools utilized by the Hamas terrorist group.

‘In one other division within the hospital, the troopers positioned an operational command middle and technological property belonging to Hamas, indicating that the terrorist group makes use of the hospital for terrorist functions.

‘The technological property and intensive intelligence info positioned was transferred for full assessment by the related authorities.

‘The IDF is continuous to function within the hospital complicated, whereas extracting intelligence info and stopping hurt to the medical groups and civilians sheltering there’. 

The army beforehand mentioned its forces have discovered weapons and Hamas fighters in authorities buildings, faculties and residential buildings. 

Hours earlier than the hospital raid, the US mentioned its personal intelligence indicated militants have used Shifa and different hospitals, and tunnels beneath them, to assist army operations and maintain hostages.

Beneath worldwide humanitarian regulation, hospitals can lose their protected standing if combatants use them for army functions. 

However civilians should be given time to depart, and any assault should be proportional to the army goal. 

Talking on CNN, IDF spokesman Lt Col Richard Hecht mentioned hearth was exchanged earlier than Israeli troopers moved into the Al-Shifa however that there was ‘no engagement in anyway’ as soon as that they had entered the medical complicated.

Israel has insisted for years that Hamas militants have used Al Shifa as a canopy for his or her operations. However Hamas and hospital employees have repeatedly denied this. 

One physician contained in the hospital, reached by the BBC, hit out: ‘Is everybody simply ready for us to die right here after which say ‘we had been good folks’?’

Plastic surgeon Dr Ahmed Mokhallalati claimed employees and sufferers had been fearful as IDF troops moved by means of the constructing. He revealed six untimely infants had died in latest days and mentioned round 40 others would die ‘one after the other’ because of an absence of oxygen and energy outages.

Important surgical procedures had been carried out on Tuesday with solely gentle sedation, revealed the surgeon – however sufferers had been ‘screaming in ache’. No surgical procedure could possibly be carried out yesterday, he mentioned.

One affected person with burns needed to be left to die because of an absence of medical tools, mentioned the physician. Requested if Israeli troops had introduced medical help to the hospital, he mentioned: ‘If it was as much as me, I’d refuse [any aid]. They’re killing us for 40 days and so they wish to supply me saline drips.’

Dr Mokhallalati additionally insisted there have been solely civilians within the hospital and challenged the Israeli military to supply proof of Hamas’s presence. Israeli officers have beforehand urged a few of the 240 hostages seized by Hamas after they went on a murderous rampage in Israel on October 7 could possibly be held underneath Gazan hospitals.

One journalist contained in the hospital informed the BBC that IDF troopers fired into the air and used loudspeakers to order males aged between 16 and 40 to depart earlier than interrogating them. 

Munir al-Boursh, a senior official with Gaza’s Well being Ministry contained in the hospital, mentioned troops ransacked the basement and different buildings, together with these with emergency and surgical procedure departments inside, and looked for tunnels. 

Sufferers, employees and other people sheltering within the facility had been questioned, he mentioned, including: ‘Sufferers, girls and youngsters are terrified’. 

At one level, tens of 1000’s of Palestinians had been sheltering on the hospital, however many have left in latest days. 

The raid drew condemnation from the UN, Jordan and the West Financial institution’s Palestinian Authority, which referred to as it a violation of worldwide regulation.

Martin Griffiths, the UN’s chief of humanitarian affairs, mentioned on X, previously Twitter: ‘I am appalled by experiences of army raids in Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza. The safety of newborns, sufferers, medical employees and all civilians should override all different issues. Hospitals aren’t battlegrounds.’

Israel has confronted mounting stress to show its declare that Hamas had turned the hospital right into a command centre in latest days. 

Hamas and Gaza well being officers have denied that militants function in Shifa, in keeping with the Palestinian information company. 

The battle between Israel and Hamas erupted on October 7 after the militant group killed some 1,200 folks and seized round 240 captives. In the meantime, Israeli airstrikes have killed greater than 11,200 folks, in keeping with the Palestinian Well being Minister in Ramallah. 

One other 2,700 have been reported lacking. 

Round two third of the territory’s 2.3 million folks have now fled their houses, with most at present residing within the southern a part of the coastal strip. 

Residents say bread is scarce and grocery store cabinets are naked, whereas households have been compelled to cook dinner on wooden fires because of an absence of gas, electrical energy and working water. 

On Wednesday, Israeli defence officers let in some 24,000 litres of gas, which is able to solely be used for the UN company for Palestinian refugees, referred to as UNRWA, in a bid to herald the restricted provides of meals and medication from Egypt.  

Thomas White, UNRWA’s director in Gaza, mentioned the gas can’t be used for hospitals or to desalinate water, including the quantity is the equal of ‘solely 9 per cent of what we want each day to maintain lifesaving actions’. 

The Palestinian telecom firm Paltel has mentioned it’s counting on batteries to maintain Gaza’s cell and web community working.   

It comes as Israeli troops have prolonged their management throughout northern Gaza, having taken management of the Shati refugee camp. 

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant mentioned that the bottom operation will ultimately ’embrace each the north and south’.

‘We are going to strike Hamas wherever it’s’, he mentioned.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed the plans, saying Israel’s objective is ‘an entire victory over Hamas within the south and the return of our hostages.’

Israel informed residents of northern Gaza to evacuate south, saying it wished to get civilians out of the trail of its floor assault, and tons of of 1000’s fled. 

It comes after the UN Safety Council accredited a decision calling for ‘pressing and prolonged humanitarian pauses and corridors all through the Gaza strip following 4 failed makes an attempt to reply to the battle.  

The decision, which was accredited by 12-0 with the US, UK and Russia abstaining, additionally referred to as for the ‘rapid and unconditional launch of all hostages held by Hamas and different teams’. 

It made no point out of a ceasefire, and did not seek advice from the October 7 assaults which sparked the battle, or Israel’s retaliatory air strikes. 

The decision introduced the 15 members of the UN’s strongest physique collectively in a primary response to the continuing battle.

It asks that ‘all events adjust to their obligations underneath worldwide regulation, notably with regard to the safety of civilians, particularly kids’. 

UN Safety Council resolutions are legally binding, however in observe many events select to disregard the council’s requests for motion.