Representatives of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) did not allow journalists to independently inspect the Al Shifa hospital in Gaza. writes about this New York Times.
“In order to enter Gaza, two New York Times reporters and a photographer were forced to stay with Israeli troops throughout the visit. <..> The military did not allow journalists to explore the hospital or photograph or interview patients and medical staff staying at the facility, saying the facility was not completely secure and Hamas fighters might still be there.
At the same time, part of the medical complex was shown to journalists.
Claims that the tunnels under the hospital host the Hamas headquarters are critical arguments that partially legitimize Israel’s use of attacks against civilian targets in Gaza as a cover for Hamas. However, the Israeli side has not yet provided any evidence of this. It was noted that the tunnels under the hospital had not yet been fully investigated and IDF soldiers did not go down into these tunnels for fear that they contained booby traps.
Before that, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said About signs that Hamas is holding hostages at Al-Shifa hospital.
The situation in the Middle East escalated after thousands of Hamas militants infiltrated Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7, when Hamas announced the launch of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announcedthat the country is at war.
The aim of Israel’s response to Operation Iron Sword was to repel the attack, release more than 200 hostages, including foreigners, and destroy Hamas. In order to achieve this goal, Israel launched major rocket attacks on the Gaza Strip from the first day of the operation. At the same time, the Israeli National Security Council decided to stop the supply of water, food, goods, electricity and fuel to the sector. Humanitarian aid shipments to Gaza began to be sent through the Rafah checkpoint only after October 20, and it was stated that their volume was insufficient.
27 October Israel announced About the “expansion” of the ground operation in Gaza. It is not known exactly when the operation started, but before the operation, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled their homes and moved to shelters and the south of the region. November 5, as part of the ground operation of IDF forces surrounded Gaza city and supplies cut off, still exists in central Gaza to continue fights.
Former Israeli President Isaac Herzog statedThe Hamas command center is located below the central hospital in the Gaza Strip.