Israeli army to continue operation against Al-Shifa Hospital: Spokesman

By Zein Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA) - The Israeli army’s operation against Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City is ongoing and will continue into Tuesday, said its spokesman.

Speaking at a press conference, Daniel Hagari claimed that based on intelligence from its internal security service Shin Bet and military intelligence, there were Hamas operatives and field commanders in the hospital.

Hagari said the hospital's buildings will be searched, claiming that a number of Hamas fighters had already surrendered to Israeli forces.

The Palestinian group is yet to comment on his claims.

The Gaza-based Government Media Office said Monday that Brigadier General Fayeq al-Mabhouh, the head of police operations in Gaza, was killed in the Israeli raid on the hospital.

The Israeli army announced early on Monday that its forces stormed the hospital, which houses thousands of ill and wounded patients as well as displaced people. The raid left one Israeli soldier killed.

According to the Israeli public broadcaster KAN, around 80 Palestinians were detained from the facility.

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on Gaza since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 which killed nearly 1,200 people.

More than 31,700 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in the enclave and nearly 73,800 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

​​​​​​​*Writing by Ahmed Asmar