The Israeli military said it had killed about 90 gunmen and arrested hundreds of “terrorists” in a raid on Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital.
Hamas condemned the “bloody massacre” carried out by Israel in Shifa and said the victims included civilians, the sick and displaced people.
Shifa Hospital was the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip before the war and is now one of the few partially operating medical facilities in the northern part of the territory.
Before the latest attack, Shifa housed more than 7,000 patients and displaced people, according to Palestinian officials.
“The troops neutralized the terrorists and positioned weapons in the hospital area while preventing harm to civilians, patients, medical teams and medical equipment,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.
It also released the names and photos of two Israeli soldiers killed in the operation.
The Israeli attack on the hospital began in the early hours of Monday morning. The military released video of weapons hidden inside the facility and said it had dispatched special forces backed by infantry and tanks based on intelligence that the hospital was again being exploited by gunmen.
IDF spokesman Maj. Gen. Daniel Hagari said troops had detained 250 to 300 terrorists in hospitals. He said 300 other suspects were also being questioned.
“We are talking a lot [Palestinian Islamic Jihad] agents, including battalion commanders, Hamas operatives, including political officials,” he said in a video statement released by the hospital on Wednesday.
“We will fight all terrorists in the area. Our goal is to capture senior officials alive and bring them for interrogation. Whoever dares to go against us will be killed.”
He said the surgery could last a few more days.
Ismail Tawabta, director of the media office of the Hamas government in Gaza, said all the victims were injured patients and displaced people in hospitals.
“The Israeli occupying force relies on lies and deception to spread its narrative and justify its ongoing criminal and criminal acts, which violate international law and international humanitarian law,” he said.
Israel faced fierce criticism last November when Israeli forces first attacked Shifa hospital. Troops discovered tunnels at the site that they said had been used by Hamas as a command and control center.
Hamas and medical personnel deny that the hospital is used for military purposes or to harbor militants.
“What happened at Shifa hospital is a war crime and part of the genocidal war carried out by the Israeli occupying forces,” said Bassem Naim, a senior Hamas official who once served as health minister.
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