Israel accused Hamas of launching attacks from hospitals in Gaza, said this was a war crime and signalled that such action could make medical facilities a legitimate target.
A military spokesperson claimed the Israeli authorities had “concrete evidence” that hundreds of Hamas fighters who took part in the 7 October terrorist atrocity in southern Israel afterwards “flooded” into Shifa hospital, the largest medical complex in the Gaza Strip.
“What we are doing now is putting a red flag to the world,” Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said at a news briefing.
“We are putting a red flag against the international law.”
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The officer shared on a screen what he said was intelligence material proving that Hamas militants were commanding attacks against Israel from inside Shifa hospital.
It was not immediately possible to independently verify the claims.
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“He does his command and control in different departments of the hospital,” the spokesperson said, pointing to areas of the facility that were outlined in red.
“He uses these places in order to do command and control for terror activities, launching rockets.”
Rear Admiral Hagari showed what he said was a reconstruction of a network of underground tunnels that ran under the hospital.
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He alleged that it was possible to enter the tunnels from inside the hospital wards.
“Right now, terrorists move freely in Shifa hospital and other hospitals in Gaza,” the spokesperson said.
“Hamas’s use of hospitals is systematic… When medical facilities are used for terror purposes, they are liable to lose their protection from attack in accordance with international law.
“The IDF (Israel Defence Forces) will continue making efforts to minimise harm to the civilian population and will continue to act in accordance with international law.”
Israel had shared its intelligence on hospitals with the intelligence agencies of its allies, the spokesperson added.
This story originally appeared on Skynews
