The Israeli military says its forces are carrying out “a precise and targeted” operation against Hamas within Gaza’s biggest hospital, Al Shifa.
In a statement posted on X, the IDF urged “Hamas terrorists present in the hospital to surrender.”
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It added that its forces “include medical teams and Arabic speakers, who have undergone specified training to prepare for this complex and sensitive environment.”
It continued: “In recent weeks, the IDF has publicly warned time and again that Hamas’ continued military use of the Shifa hospital jeopardizes its protected status under international law and has enabled ample time to stop this unlawful abuse of the hospital.
“Yesterday, the IDF conveyed to the relevant authorities in Gaza once again that all military activities within the hospital must cease within 12 hours. Unfortunately, they did not. The IDF has also facilitated wide-scale evacuations of the hospital and maintained regular dialogue with hospital authorities.”
Israel has said that Hamas has a command centre underneath the hospital, which is the biggest in Gaza, and uses the hospital and tunnels underneath to conceal military operations and to hold hostages. Hamas denies it.
The US said on Tuesday that its own intelligence supported those conclusions.
Medical staff at the hospital have said it is barely functioning due to Israeli attacks and a lack of fuel to power generators.
Human rights groups have recently argued that even if Hamas had located military infrastructure at hospital sites, international law still requires Israel to safeguard the civilian occupants.
Ken Roth, the former head of Human Rights Watch, said earlier this week: “Even if the Israeli allegations are true, the Israeli military remains under a duty not to attack military targets if the harm to civilians is disproportionate.”
-Agency Reports