The underground tunnel system at Al Shifa was started by Israeli engineers. But Hamas dug additional floors and added more tunnels to the basement areas originally built in the 1980s.Now, amidst the conflict, the IDF alleges that the hospital has been repurposed as a headquarters for Hamas.
Israeli forces recently laid siege to the hospital, accusing it of facilitating terrorist activities and even showcasing underground rooms they claim were used by Hamas fighters.
Following the arrest, Gaza’s health ministry announced a halt in coordination with the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding future evacuations of medical staff and patients from Israeli-besieged hospitals. The ministry expressed deep surprise at the UN and WHO’s response, emphasizing that no explanation had been provided for what they deemed a crime.
While Israel insists that Al Shifa served as Hamas’s nerve center, evidence supporting this claim remains contentious. IDF representatives showed reporters underground rooms and tunnels beneath the hospital, but the veracity of these assertions is yet to be fully substantiated.
Hostage Release Deal
In a much-anticipated deal groups of Israelis and Palestinians have been released under a truce brokered between Israel and Hamas. The releases brought a temporary halt to fighting in Gaza after weeks of conflict.
