The Israeli military claims that it killed 90 gunmen and arrested 160 others in an attack on Gaza’s largest hospital where it claimed Hamas fighters were hiding — which the terrorist group has denied.
Gaza City’s Al Shifa hospital, one of the few operational hospitals remaining in the besieged enclave where tens of thousands of Palestinians have taken shelter, was raided by IDF forces beginning on Monday night.
Two Israeli soldiers were also killed in the operation.
“Over the past day, the troops have eliminated terrorists and located weapons in the hospital area, while preventing harm to civilians, patients, medical teams, and medical equipment,” the military said in a statement.
The Israeli military published videos allegedly showing weapons stashed inside the hospital. It sent in special forces, supported by infantry and tanks, based on intelligence that Hamas soldiers were hiding inside.
Israel said its forces were met by sniper fire coming from inside as they moved in.
Faiq Mabhouh, the head of operations for Hamas’ internal security force, had allegedly been inside the Al Shifa hospital complex in Gaza City and “was working to advance terror activity” when he was taken out, the Israel Defense Forces said on Monday.
Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of Gaza’s Hamas-run government media office, said all of those killed had been wounded patients and displaced persons inside the hospital.
“The Israeli occupation army practices lying and deception in spreading its narrative as part of justifying its continuous and law-breaking crimes, which violate international law, international humanitarian law,” he said.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus slammed the gunfight at Al Shifa on X, saying, “Hospitals should never be battlegrounds.”
Israeli forces previously attacked the hospital in November, drawing an international backlash. The IDF released several photos and videos of tunnel shafts located near and around the medical complex that allegedly led to bunkers.
Hamas and medical staff have denied that the hospital is used for military purposes or to shelter fighters.
Ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas have stalled over a potential deal that could see the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas on March 14 had offered to release Israeli hostages in exchange for 700 to 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed Hamas’ proposal as “unrealistic,” CNN reported.
Meanwhile, international efforts to bring dire aid to Gaza continued this week.
Israel announced that 248 humanitarian aid trucks entered Gaza on Tuesday. The US and Jordanian militaries airdropped aid in the northern part of the strip on Wednesday and the United Kingdom delivered more than 2,000 tons of food to Gaza through Jordan, according to CNN.
The Gaza Ministry of Health said Wednesday that the death toll in Gaza now stands at 31,923, including 104 deaths in the past 24 hours. Another 74,096 have been injured, according to the agency.
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