Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, blamed the United States for giving the Israeli army a “green light” to begin an operation inside the Al Shifa hospital complex in Gaza City, where Tel Aviv claims that the Palestinian militant group has tunnels leading to one of its barracks. general. “We hold the occupation (Israel) and President (American Joe) Biden fully responsible for the assault on the Al Shifa medical complex,” Hamas said in a statement.
The accusation alludes to an announcement by the United States, which shortly before the Israeli attack said that its own intelligence found indications that Hamas had used the Al Shifa hospital and underground tunnels to carry out military operations and even some of the 240 hostages Israelis captured on October 7. “The adoption by the White House and the Pentagon of the occupation’s (Israel’s) false claim that the resistance is using the Al Shifa medical complex for military purposes has given the occupation a green light to commit more massacres against civilians. “adds the note.
The militant group’s version coincides with the testimonies of medical workers, who insist that there are no Hamas members in the hospital. In the absence of independent testimonies that can verify what is happening inside, the versions of the army incursion by Israelis and Gazans are completely different. According to the center’s medical staff and Gaza’s health minister, The Israeli army would have occupied the emergency departmentspecialized surgery and the maternity ward.
Youssef Abu Rish, a health ministry official, told AL Jazeera radio that they have seen “dozens of soldiers and commandos inside the emergency and reception buildings” and that indiscriminate interrogations are being carried out. “There are large explosions and dust entered the area where we are. We believe that an explosion occurred inside the hospital,” explained Dr. Munir al-Bursh.
In recent days, Israel called for the evacuation of patients, medical personnel and civilians sheltered in the center – a total of 1,200 people – although hardly anyone has left the hospital complex due to the constant crossfire between the army and Hamas militants around the hospital.