Israel has long claimed that the Hamas terrorists used the Shifa hospital complex as a command and control center, asserting that it is part of a broader strategy aimed at concealing its forces within the civilian population.
On Wednesday, several journalists were given a peek into a Hamas hideout.
Hamas’ tunnel below Al Shifa Hospital
The Israeli military on Wednesday unveiled a reinforced tunnel which it claimed was the Hamas military facility under Gaza’s Al Shifa Hospital.
Soldiers accompanied journalists through a confined stone tunnel, reportedly spanning 150 meters (164 yards), leading to a network of subterranean bunkers beneath the damaged Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. The living quarters inside the tunnel featured an air conditioner, kitchen, bathroom, and two metal cots in a room constructed from weathered white tiles. It seemed unused.
“That’s the way that they survive because they use the hospital as a human shield that protects them…And here they can stay for a long time. There is a room with air conditioning inside,” Colonel Elad Tsuri, commander of an Israeli armoured brigade that found the tunnel, said.
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the chief spokesperson for the Israeli military, asserted, “Shifa Hospital is the largest medical facility in Gaza, and it also serves as a significant operational center for Hamas. Hamas battalion commanders were using it for command and control, as well as launching rockets.”
Hamas and hospital officials have refuted Israel’s allegation. The hospital location has become a focal point for allegations of war crimes from both sides, with Palestinians accusing Israel of targeting hospitals, while Israel asserts that the sites are being used as shelters for armed fighters.
The Associated Press reported that its journalist was given access to Gaza on a condition that the journalist would stay with the Israeli military convoy throughout the four-hour tour. The report added that there is no other way for foreign journalists to access the enclave.
The Israeli military released a video showcasing the tunnel, emphasizing that according to the IDF, Hamas uses hospitals as cover.
(With AP and Reuters inputs)