Israeli commandos combing through Gaza’s Al Shifa hospital: military official

Israeli commandos are searching through every building and every floor of Gaza’s Al Shifa hospital and new information is emerging all the time, an Israeli military official said on Thursday, Reuters reports.

“The operation is shaped by our understanding that there is well-hidden terrorist infrastructure in the complex,” the official said, declining to be named.

Hamas weapons and equipment had been found in Al Shifa, the official said, adding that “Hamas has persistently worked to conceal infrastructure and cover up evidence” in Gaza’s hospitals. Hamas has denied operating out of medical facilities.

The official said the soldiers were proceeding one building at a time, searching each floor “in a discrete, methodical and thorough manner, based on ongoing field assessments and informed by questioning taking place in the field”.

“The IDF has already located weapons, intelligence materials – including information related to the events of October 7th – military technologies and equipment, command and control centres, and communications equipment, all belonging to Hamas,” the official said, referring to the militants’ attack on Israel.

“This operation is complex and ongoing, with new information coming to light continuously.”