Israel’s military says it has pulled out of al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City after a two-week military operation that has destroyed much of the hospital complex.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), troops “killed terrorists” and found “numerous weapons and intelligence documents” in the area.
The raid happened after Israel said it had intelligence indicating Hamas was using the hospital as a base to launch attacks.
Hamas denies using medical sites to carry out military operations.
Heavy fighting has been reported around the hospital, the largest in Gaza, in recent weeks.
When the raid was first announced, IDF chief spokesman Daniel Hagari said “Hamas terrorists have regrouped inside al-Shifa hospital”.
The IDF said then it was launching a “high-precision” operation on the grounds of the hospital and urged displaced civilians sheltering on the grounds to leave immediately.
Witnesses reported heavy gunfire and tanks surrounding the facility when the raid began in the early hours of the morning on 18 March.
Al-Shifa was raided earlier in the conflict after Israel said it had evidence that hostages captured during the 7 October attack were taken there.
Israel has long accused Hamas of using civilian health infrastructure as a cover to launch its operations, which the Palestinian group refutes.
Early on Monday his office said the operation was successful and Mr Netanyahu was “in good shape and beginning to recover”.
The surgery took place amid demonstration held in jerusalem fuelled by mounting anger over his government’s handling of the war in Gaza. Thousands took to the streets demanding more action to free hostages.
Around 130 people – at least 34 of whom are presumed dead – are still unaccounted for after Hamas’s 7 October attack on Israel.
Mr Netanyahu is under pressure from some in Israeli society who believe there has been insufficient progress in rescuing the remaining hostages inside Gaza.
Also on Sunday, seven journalists – including a freelancer working for the BBC – were injured in an islaeli air strike on the grounds of al-aqsa hospital targeting the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) group.
The IDF hit a building in the grounds of the hospital which it said PIJ was using as a command centre.
Four members of the PIJ – which is allied with Hamas and participated in the 7 October attack – were killed, the IDF said.
BBC
