Israel reported that its military conducted a “targeted” operation against Hamas early Wednesday morning inside Gaza’s largest hospital, Al-Shifa, where thousands of Palestinians are believed to be seeking shelter.
Conditions at the hospital, which has run out of fuel and is no longer considered operational, have deteriorated rapidly in recent days amid intense fighting, with doctors warning of a “catastrophic” situation for patients, staff and displaced people still inside.
The Israel Defense Forces, in a statement posted online, announced the commencement of a “precise and targeted operation against Hamas in a specified area in the Shifa Hospital.” IDF spokesperson Peter Lerner later confirmed to CNN that the operation at Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital was still ongoing. Reports from Israeli radio indicated that no hostages had been found in the hospital thus far.
Witnesses reported Israeli tanks and military vehicles inside the courtyard of Al-Shifa Hospital. Khader Al Za’anoun, a reporter for the Palestinian news agency Wafa, informed CNN that Israeli soldiers were conducting search and interrogation operations with young men amid intense and violent gunfire within the hospital. He added that the Israeli army was using megaphones to call on the young men to raise their hands, come out, and surrender themselves. its military conducted
Earlier, he said gunfire was exchanged across the hospital yard.
In its statement Wednesday, Israel again accused Hamas of continuing to use the large hospital complex for military purposes which, it said, “jeopardizes the hospital’s protected status under international law.”
Hamas and hospital officials have consistently rejected Israel’s claims that Hamas has built a command center under the hospital.