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The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) is alleging the discovery of a Hamas military base under their largest hospital.
The IDF has released images and accompanying graphics claiming an extensive command post exists under Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza.
“Hamas terrorists operate inside and under Shifa hospital — and other hospitals in Gaza — with a network of terror tunnels,” said IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari. “Shifa is not the only hospital — it is one of many. Hamas-use of hospitals is systematic.”
The Al-Shifa Hospital is the largest medical care facility in Gaza, with 1,500 beds and over 4,000 staff members.
“We have concrete evidence that hundreds of terrorists flooded into the hospital to hide there after the massacres of October 7,” he added.
A senior Hamas leader called the allegations “baseless” in a statement reported by the Times of Israel.
Izzat al-Rishq said, “these lies represent a prelude to a new massacre against our people, greater than the one of the al-Ahli Baptist Hospital” — referring to the Oct. 17 blast that U.S. intelligence determined was likely caused by an Islamic Jihad rocket misfiring. Hamas has blamed Israel for the explosion and accused the Jewish state of committing war crimes against the Palestinian people.
“Over 40,000 have sought refuge in Al-Shifa hospital, as they were displaced by the bombing that hit everything,” al-Rishq said. “We call on the leaders of Arab and Muslim countries to take action and stop the genocide against our people.”
Israel has long voiced outrage at Palestinian militants’ strategic placement of military infrastructure within hospital complexes.
The IDF released a series of graphics depicting the suspected dimensions of the underground complex.
It is not uncommon for Hamas militants to intentionally embed military infrastructure into civilian spaces in order to make targeted strikes collaterally damaging.
The number of hostages being held in Gaza by Hamas terrorists has risen to 229, IDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Daniel Hagari said Friday afternoon.
The IDF said Friday that an airstrike killed Madhath Mubashar, the commander of Hamas’ Western Khan Yunis battalion.
Mubasher is accused of taking part in explosives and sniper attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilian communities.
“Furthermore, the IDF struck 250+ Hamas targets including a terrorist tunnel network in Gaza that detonated the secondary explosions,” the IDF said.
Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom, Greg Wehner and Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report.
