01 April,2024 03:16 PM IST | Tel Aviv | Agencies
Representation image. File pic
Israeli soldiers left Gaza's Shifa Hospital compound after eliminating entrenched Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists, Israel Defence Forces said on Monday.
Israel returned to the Shifa, Gaza's largest hospital, on March 18 after receiving intelligence that senior Hamas figures were inside the compound planning attacks. Since entering the compound, Israel has killed over 200 terrorists and detained 900 terror suspects, of whom at least 500 have been confirmed as members of the Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror groups.
"The troops killed terrorists in close-quarters encounters and located numerous weapons and intelligence documents throughout the hospital, while preventing harm to civilians, patients, and medical teams," the IDF said.
On Sunday, the IDF released footage of weapons found in the maternity ward.
Troops uncovered weapons hidden in the pillows and beds of the patients, and in the ceilings and walls of the compound -- including dozens of mortar bombs, explosive devices, sniper weapons, Kalashnikovs, pistols, chargers, cartridges, mortars, ammunition and communications devices, the IDF said.
The Press Service of Israel reported that in one of the hospital buildings, Hamas established a small government administration centre with representatives of the government ministries, especially the ministries of education, interior, treasury and police. On the day that Israeli forces entered the compound, Hamas was about to pay salaries to hundreds of its civil and military officials.
Also on Sunday, Israel struck a Palestinian Islamic Jihad command centre located in the courtyard of the Al-Aqsa Hospital in the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah.
Meanwhile, in central Gaza, an Israeli helicopter directed by ground forces struck a booby-trapped Hamas military compound from which terrorists observed IDF troops and an additional Hamas military compound.
In Khan Yunis, soldiers from the Commando Brigade continued operations in the Al-Amal neighbourhood. The IDF said soldiers killed terrorists in close-quarters encounters, conducted targeted raids on terrorist infrastructure, apprehended several terrorists and seized large numbers of weapons and explosives.
Also in Khan Yunis, Israeli aircraft struck a truck and a second vehicle of terrorists driving towards ground forces.
At least 1,200 people were killed and 240 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas's attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the remaining 134 hostages, Israel recently declared 31 of them dead.
