Israeli forces have apprehended numerous Hamas and Islamic Jihad combatants, including security officials and military leaders, during an extensive operation within Gaza’s primary hospital, as confirmed by the military’s chief spokesperson, according to Reuters.
The incursion into Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City commenced in the early hours of Monday and has involved a thorough search of the sprawling compound, allegedly linked to a network of tunnels utilized by Palestinian fighters. According to Israeli authorities, the operation has resulted in the elimination of hundreds of combatants and the capture of over 500 suspects, marking the largest number detained simultaneously since the onset of the six-month-long conflict.
Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari disclosed that special forces employed deceptive strategies to catch the fighters off guard, dealing significant blows to the capabilities of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Notably, among those detained are three senior Islamic Jihad military leaders and two Hamas operatives overseeing activities in the occupied West Bank, alongside other Hamas security personnel.
Hagari clarified during a late Thursday briefing that individuals who resisted surrender were engaged by Israeli forces and neutralized. However, the military later acknowledged that some of the photographs presented during the briefing were included in error, depicting individuals who had not been apprehended.
Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of Hamas-run government media, condemned the misidentification and inclusion of photos of medical personnel and individuals residing outside the country, denouncing it as an attempt by Israel to fabricate justifications for the assault on the hospital.
Al-Shifa Hospital, once Gaza’s largest healthcare facility, now serves as one of the few operational medical centers in the region, providing care to both patients and displaced civilians. Previous Israeli raids on the hospital, notably in November, have drawn international criticism. Despite Israeli claims of militant activity within the hospital premises, Hamas and medical staff vehemently deny such allegations, accusing Israel of committing war crimes and disputing Israeli casualty reports.
Source: https://news-af.feednews.com/news/detail/8097cfa4d5f008eaed17c6ee1fbf385e?client=news