Jerusalem, November 17. A search operation by Israeli forces continues in Gaza’s largest hospital, Al-Shifa. Work is also being done to detect hostages and terrorist activities in other hospitals in the area. Due to a lack of fuel, all communication systems in the area have collapsed.
“An underground tunnel shaft beneath the hospital was found during a search on Thursday,” Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Daniel Hagari said at a press conference Thursday night.
He said a vehicle with ammunition was also found beneath the medical centre, Xinhua News Agency reported.
A complex network of tunnels was found beneath Rantisi Hospital.
“This is a war zone where our forces are still fighting (with terrorists),” Hagari said, adding that several weapons were also found in al-Quds hospital.
At the briefing, he presented photographs showing automatic weapons, hand grenades, and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs).
Earlier, the army had announced that the remains of Yehudit Weiss, an Israeli woman abducted by Hamas militants on October 7, had been exhumed by IDF soldiers from “a structure adjacent to al-Shifa hospital.” The body was transferred to Israeli territory.
This was the second time that Israeli forces raided al-Shifa hospital.
On Wednesday, the army released photos of some automatic weapons, RPGs and grenades it said were found in the building but did not provide evidence of the central Hamas military headquarters, which Israel repeatedly claims he is hiding under the medical complex.
Muhammad Abu Salamiya, director of al-Shifa, told Al Jazeera TV news that gunmen surrounding the hospital had prevented medical staff from moving between buildings.
Soldiers stormed hospital departments, where more than 650 patients, 500 medical personnel, and 5,000 displaced people were seeking shelter.
At least four patients who required immediate dialysis were in critical condition due to the damage to medical services.
Gaza is in desperate need of medical supplies as Israel has cut off electricity, water, food, and fuel to the area.
Also on Thursday, Hamas’ armed wing al-Qassam Brigades claimed responsibility for a deadly early morning shooting attack at a checkpoint between Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Israeli police said three gunmen opened fire on Israeli security forces, killing one armed police officer and wounding five others before being shot by other forces.
The police found two automatic rifles, two guns, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, 10 magazines, and two axes in his vehicle.
The IDF said Israeli warplanes on Thursday struck the residence of Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh, which was reportedly used as “terrorist infrastructure” and often used as a meeting place for senior Hamas leaders. Work was done.
Israeli forces also captured the al-Shati refugee camp and Gaza’s port, the army said.
As of Friday morning, the death toll in Gaza was 11,078, of whom 4,506 were reported to be children and 3,027 were women.
More than 1,200 people have been killed in Israel, while the death toll in the West Bank has risen to 198.
