The military official said four militants had died in a gunfight outside Al Shifa, as Israeli soldiers sought to enter the complex. He added that soldiers had interrogated individuals found in the area they were searching.
The Israeli military earlier today said that it was carrying out a "targeted operation" against Hamas as it raided Gaza City's main Al-Shifa hospital. At around 1 am local time, Gaza health ministry spokesman said that Israel had told the officials that it would raid the hospital complex "in the coming minutes", reported Reuters.
"Based on intelligence information and an operational necessity, IDF forces are carrying out a precise and targeted operation against Hamas in a specified area in the Shifa hospital," said the Israeli Defence Forces in a statement, as per the Reuters report.
"The IDF forces include medical teams and Arabic speakers, who have undergone specified training to prepare for this complex and sensitive environment, with the intent that no harm is caused to the civilians," it added.
The Wednesday raids by Israel have only added to the woes of crippling health infrastructure in the besieged enclave as UN in its latest situation report has said that severe lack of fuel in the Palestinian enclave, has halted the work of ambulances and rescue teams in the city.
