Israel claims to have gathered evidence showing Hamas is running its operation under the largest hospital in Gaza City.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the terror group has built several underground complexes under Shifa Hospital – which accommodates around 1,500 beds – and is being used by Hamas’ leaders as their headquarters.
This base can be reached from outside the hospital via an intricate network of tunnels, the IDF believes. But Hamas terrorists, Mr Hagari claimed, also have access to the headquarters via one of Shifa’s wards.
During a briefing for reporters of international media outlets, Mr Hagari said: “We have concrete evidence that hundreds of terrorists flooded into the hospital to hide there after the massacres of October 7.”
Almost three weeks ago, the terror group launched a multipronged operation against Israel, killing around 1,400 people and kidnapping more than 220 civilians and soldiers. Only four hostages have so far been released.
This operation sparked a new wave of airstrikes launched by Israel on the Gaza Strip, which the Gazan health ministry believes have killed more than 7,000 people.
The terror group is using the thousands of staff and patients at the hospitals as human shields, according to Mr Hagari.
He said: “Hamas uses Shifa hospital as a shield for Hamas terror infrastructure. Hamas wages war from hospitals. By operating from these hospitals, Hamas not only endangers the lives of Israeli civilians; but also exploits innocent Gazan civilians.
“Hamas terrorists operate inside hospitals precisely because they know that the IDF distinguishes between terrorists and civilians.”
Hamas’ internal security also has a command centre inside Shifa Hospital, from which it directs rocket fire on Israel and in which it stores weapons, the IDF claimed. Moreover, the group has been accused of exploiting the hospital’s energy infrastructure.
The information shared today is based on intelligence sources collected by the Military Intelligence Directorate and Israel’s security service, Shin Bet.
During the press conference, the IDF spokesman also claimed Shifa isn’t the only hospital Hamas terrorists have turned into a cover for their operational bases by building tunnels under them.
As Israel is preparing for a ground operation in Gaza, Mr Hagari also warned medical facilities used for terror purposes become “liable to lose their protection” from airstrikes and attacks.
The IDF also shared a video illustrating, in accordance with the intelligence gathered, the structure believed to be underneath the hospital.
The clip includes a map alleging the Hamas-built infrastructure is located, among other areas, underneath the hospital’s morgue, the outpatient clinic and the convenience store within the medical structure.
The video was shared on X, formerly Twitter, by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who likened once again Hamas to ISIS.
He wrote: “Hamas-ISIS is sick. They turn hospitals into headquarters for their terror. We just released intelligence proving it.”
Over the past three weeks, Mr Netanyahu was often heard drawing parallels between Hamas and ISIS.
On October 10, as he was calling for support from Israel’s allies, he said: “Hamas is ISIS. And just as the forces of civilization united to defeat ISIS, the forces of civilization must support Israel in defeating Hamas.”
