By Michael Hernandez
WASHINGTON (AA) - The US alleged Tuesday that it believes Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) are using Gaza's al-Shifa Hospital as a "command and control node," saying internal intelligence corroborates Israeli claims.
National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the US has information "from a variety of intelligence sources" that indicates Hamas and PIJ are using "some hospitals," including al-Shifa, "and tunnels underneath them to conceal and to support their military operations and to hold hostages."
He pointed in particular to al-Shifa, which he said is where the groups "operate a command and control node."
"They have stored weapons there and they're prepared to respond to an Israeli military operation against that facility," Kirby told reporters aboard Air Force One, later saying that Hamas is "probably" using al-Shifa for storage of equipment and weapons.
"To be clear, we do not support striking a hospital from the air, and we do not want to see a firefight in the hospital where innocent people, helpless people, sick people are simply trying to get the medical care that they deserve, not to be caught in a crossfire. Hospitals and patients must be protected," he added.
Kirby declined to give additional details on what kind of intelligence the US has to corroborate its allegations, saying "we have to protect sources and methods." He maintained, however, that the intelligence was internal to the US, not from a third party, and said the Palestinian groups' actions are "a war crime."
Israeli forces have been steadily closing in on al-Shifa, which is Gaza's largest hospital, claiming Hamas has an underground command center located under the hospital, an accusation categorically denied by the Palestinian group and health officials.
Tens of thousands of already displaced people had sought shelter at al-Shifa amid constant Israeli bombardment of the coastal enclave. Many have left in the hopes of finding relative safety in Gaza's south, but strikes have continued throughout the besieged territory.
The World Health Organization (WHO) earlier on Tuesday said the "best way" to ensure the safety of patients as well as civilians taking shelter at al-Shifa Hospital is not a risky evacuation but "stopping hostilities now."
Taking Anadolu's question at a UN press conference in Geneva, WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris said the hostilities should be stopped for the sake of "saving lives, not taking lives."
Harris stressed that everyone in the hospital is in a "really, really dire situation," adding that the hospital is not only hosting 700 patients but also 400 health staffers and around 3,000 internally displaced people.
She added that the hospital has reported 20 patient deaths in the last 48 hours.
Israel began its campaign in Gaza following Hamas's shocking cross-border attack on Oct. 7 in which roughly 1,200 people were killed and over 200 others taken back to Gaza as hostages. Israel on Friday revised down its earlier estimate of 1,400 deaths.