The Israeli army announced on Sunday on X (Twitter) that a 55-meter-long “terror tunnel” had been discovered on the hospital premises, at a depth of ten meters. The terrorist organization Hamas has always denied that such tunnels exist under hospitals.
The Israeli army said the tunnel was protected by a bomb-proof door. “These types of doors are used by the terrorist organization Hamas to deny Israeli forces access to Hamas-owned command centers and underground facilities.” The military also released a video showing a narrow concrete tunnel and a gray door. There was no information about what was behind the gray door.
OPERATIONAL UPDATE: IDF and ISA forces revealed a significant 55-meter-long terrorist tunnel 10 meters beneath the Shifa Hospital complex during an intelligence-based operation.
The tunnel entrance contains several defense mechanisms, such as an explosion-proof door and a trigger… pic.twitter.com/tU4J6BD4ZG
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 19, 2023
Israeli troops are also busy “discovering the tunnel route,” the military said. According to the Army, access to the tunnel was in a wooden shack on the hospital grounds. Ammunition was also found there.
Surveillance cameras show hostages in hospital
Surveillance camera recordings were also published. It shows two men apparently taken to the Al-Shifa clinic by armed men. According to Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari, the two hostages come from Nepal and Thailand. The army has not yet been able to locate them. “We don’t know where we are,” Hagari said.
EXPOSED: This is documentation from Shifa Hospital of the day of the massacre, October 7, 2023, between 10:42 am and 11:01 am, in which hostages, a Nepalese civilian and a Thai civilian, were kidnapped in Israeli territory and are seen surrounded by armed Hamas… pic.twitter.com/a5udjBw4wF
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 19, 2023
The videos are proof that the Palestinian radical Islamic organization used the clinic’s facilities “as terrorist infrastructure on the day of the massacre,” the Israeli military and intelligence services said in a joint statement. According to the army, “more than 100 terrorists” have been arrested in the Gaza Strip in recent days. On the Israeli side, 64 soldiers have been killed since Israel’s ground operations in the Gaza Strip began on October 27.
Israel under pressure to justify
Israeli forces stormed the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday. The clinic has already been practically evacuated. Israel accuses Islamic Hamas of using the hospital for “terrorist purposes” and of operating a “command center” beneath the buildings. Hamas denies this. The Israeli operation has also been the target of international criticism, which has done little to change the evidence previously presented by the Israeli army of a terrorist base at the hospital.
Pressure on Israel is increasing
In Israel, family members of hostages exert pressure on the government. A “Washington Post” report gives reason for hope – according to this, Israel and Hamas could nowadays reach an agreement to release more than 80 hostages. .
Hamas hostage deal apparently within reach
According to the Qatari government, there are now only “minor” obstacles in the way of an agreement in negotiations for the release of hostages kidnapped by the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The US saw a deal within reach – Jon Finer, US deputy national security adviser, spoke of intensive negotiations.
The draft agreement would have been drawn up in weeks of negotiations in the Qatari capital, Doha, between Israel, the US and Hamas.
Only “logistical and practical” questions remain
The remaining issues are more of a “logistical and practical” nature, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said on Saturday at a press conference with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in Doha. However, these points would not really touch on the “core of the agreement”.
“The agreement has repeatedly gone through ups and downs in recent weeks,” the “Guardian” quoted the head of government as saying. But now he is “more confident that we are close enough to reaching an agreement that can return people safely to their homes.” Al Thani did not give a timeline.
Washington: closer to unity than ever
We are now closer to an agreement “than perhaps we have been since these negotiations began weeks ago,” the US deputy national security adviser said on US television on Sunday. “There are areas where differences of opinion have been reduced, if not completely eliminated.” However, he made it clear that they have not yet achieved their objective: “Currently there is no agreement, we will continue to negotiate intensely in the coming hours and days.”
Release of hostages and ceasefire in sight
According to the Qatari government, only “minor” obstacles prevent an agreement in negotiations for the release of hostages kidnapped by the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The US saw a deal within reach – Jon Finer, US deputy national security adviser, spoke of intensive negotiations. The Israeli side was also confident.
Finer did not provide any information on the number of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. He also did not specify how many of them could be released if a deal was reached. “We do not have precise information on the exact number of hostages, nor on the number who are still alive. But we believe there are a significant number of Americans detained,” he said.
Netanyahu under pressure
Meanwhile, the Israeli ambassador to the US, Michael Herzog, hoped that there would be an agreement in the coming days and that a significant number of hostages could be released, Herzog said in an interview with US television station ABC.
Wildner (ORF) for hospitals in Gaza
According to humanitarian organizations, there is no longer any systematic medical assistance in the Gaza Strip. ORF correspondent Nikolaus Wildner reports.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said of the report at a press conference on Saturday night that there were many unfounded rumors and false reports about the hostages. “I want to make it clear: there is no agreement yet.” If there is anything to say, you will be informed.
The Israeli prime minister is under increasing pressure over the hostages kidnapped by Hamas and his handling of the war. Tens of thousands of participants in a hostage protest march arrived in Jerusalem on Saturday. They demonstrated in front of Netanyahu’s official residence and demanded that the government make an immediate agreement to release the hostages who have been detained in the Gaza Strip for six weeks.
debate
Middle East: How to break the spiral of violence?
Israeli broadcaster gave details
On Sunday night, Israeli television published details of a possible agreement to release hostages in the Gaza Strip. The Islamic terrorist organization Hamas has reportedly signaled its fundamental desire to release 87 hostages, broadcaster N12 reported. These include 53 women, children and young people and 34 foreigners.
In return, Israel must commit to a five-day cessation of fighting in the Gaza Strip and the release of Palestinian women prisoners, minors in Israeli prisons and security detainees. Hamas also demands that more fuel be imported to the coastal strip.
The broadcaster reported at the same time that it was still unclear whether the agreement would move forward. One problem is that recently there has been almost no contact with the head of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Jahja Sinwar. He has yet to give a clear final answer through mediators in Qatar, they said. Israel believes Sinwar has been in underground hiding places since the start of the war on October 7. He was recently thought to be in his hometown of Khan Yunis, in the southern coastal strip. According to the broadcaster, communication occurs through several intermediaries.