(JNS) Israeli forces have entered Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City to conduct what the IDF said “was a precision operation” against Hamas terrorists.
IDF soldiers have been carrying out the operation, which launched overnight on Tuesday, taking in medical teams and Arabic-speaking soldiers who have undergone specialised training.
Israeli officials said soldiers found weapons and Hamas assets inside the hospital but stressed they had yet to find evidence that hostages were being held.
In a statement, the IDF said: “Based on intelligence information and an operational necessity, IDF forces are carrying out a precise and targeted operation against Hamas in a specified area in the Shifa hospital.
"The IDF forces include medical teams and Arabic speakers, who have undergone specified training to prepare for this complex and sensitive environment, with the intent that no harm is caused to civilians."
As well as taking in medical teams and Arabic speakers, the IDF said that it was also supplying battery powered incubators for babies and baby food.
The IDF also said there was no “friction” with the medical centre patients and staff during the operation.
IDF deliver supplies to Al-Shifa (Photo: IDF)
In recent weeks, Israel has argued it has evidence that Hamas has a command centre in the tunnel system underneath Al-Shifa. They also believe that the hospital is being used to keep some of the more than 240 hostages captured by Hamas on October 7.
An Israeli security official told Army Radio on Wednesday “we are starting small, and the operation will expand as necessary.”
The official said: “The decision was that we enter Al Shifa only if we know exactly what is there and where it is, as we did at Rantisi Hospital, which was only [raided] when we knew exactly what was in its basement.”
The raid comes hours after the US supported Israel's claims that the medical facility had been used by Hamas for its operations.
In a statement, the White House said it did not support air strikes on the hospital and that it "did not want to see" a firefight inside the hospital. It said patients "must be protected" during the raid.
For all the latest from Israel, click here to see all our coverage.
To sign up to our daily war briefing, click here.
To listen to our new Israel podcast, click here.
