The Israeli military on Monday announced that it had launched an operation at Gaza's primary medical facility, Al-Shifa Hospital, stating that the site was being utilised by high-ranking Hamas militants, news agency AFP reported. In a statement, the military stated: "Soldiers are presently engaged in a targeted operation within the vicinity of Shifa Hospital."
"The operation is based on intelligence information indicating the use of the hospital by senior Hamas terrorists," the statement was quoted by AFP in its report.
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Al-Shifa stands as Gaza Strip's largest medical facility. The Israeli military previously conducted an operation there in November last year, sparking international concern.
Witnesses in Gaza City informed AFP that the Al-Rimal district, housing Al-Shifa, faced airstrikes. They also reported tank presence surrounding the extensive hospital complex. Israel has accused Hamas multiple times of conducting military activities from hospitals and similar medical sites, an assertion the militant group refutes.
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The conflict ignited when Hamas launched an unprecedented assault from Gaza on October 7, resulting in approximately 1,160 fatalities in Israel, predominantly civilians, as per an AFP count based on official records.
Pledging to eradicate Hamas, Israel has conducted an intense campaign of airstrikes and ground operations. The health ministry in the Hamas-governed Palestinian enclave reports that this offensive approach by Israel has claimed the lives of at least 31,645 individuals in Gaza, with the majority being women and children.