The Israeli army said early Wednesday that it was carrying out a “targeted” operation against the Palestinian Islamists Hamas at Al-Chifa Hospital, the main one in the Gaza Strip.
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“Israeli forces are conducting a targeted and precise operation against Hamas in a specific area of Al-Chifa Hospital,” the army said in a statement in English.
Earlier on Tuesday night, the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip announced that it had been informed by the Israeli army of its intention to carry out an operation in this hospital, which is at the center of the conflict between Hamas and the Israeli army last days.
Several thousand people, sick people, employees and civilians displaced by the war that has raged since October 7, are crowding the grounds of Al-Chifa Hospital, which Hamas says is surrounded “on all sides” by the Israeli army There are reports in particular of “intense shootings”.
The Israeli army believes Al-Chifa Hospital houses strategic infrastructure belonging to Hamas, which it says uses the population as “human shields.”
Building on claims from its Israeli ally, the White House assured Tuesday that Hamas and fellow Palestinian Islamist group Islamic Jihad had “a command and control center at Al-Chifa Hospital.”
Hamas rejects allegations. “These statements give the Israeli occupation a green light for new brutal hospital massacres aimed at destroying the health system in Gaza,” the Palestinian Islamist movement responded in a press release in English.
“In recent weeks, we have repeatedly pointed out that Hamas’ continued use of Al-Shifa Hospital for military purposes will lead to the end of its protection under international law,” Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari said in a statement on Tuesday evening.