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By James Mackenzie and Nidal al-Mughrabi
JERUSALEM/CAIRO (Reuters) -Israeli troops raided the compound of Gaza’s Al Shifa Hospital early on Monday, saying they killed over 20 gunmen, in an operation Palestinian well being authorities mentioned induced a number of casualties and set off a fierce hearth in one of many buildings.
Particular forces, supported by infantry and tanks, carried out a “exact operation” based mostly on intelligence that the hospital was once more being utilized by Hamas leaders, and had been fired upon once they entered the compound, the army mentioned.
“We apprehended greater than 200 terrorist suspects that at the moment are being questioned. We eradicated greater than 20 terrorists contained in the hospital compound,” mentioned spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari.
One Israeli soldier was killed within the preventing, he mentioned.
“Hamas tried to reestablish its base within the hospital and use it as a shelter for terrorists on the run. We is not going to permit this and can assault and proceed to assault anywhere Hamas tries to reestablish its grip,” Hagari mentioned.
Al Shifa, the Gaza Strip’s greatest hospital earlier than the warfare, is now one of many solely healthcare services that’s even partially operational within the north of the territory, and can also be housing lots of of displaced civilians.
“Immediately, we began to listen to sounds of explosions, a number of bombings, and shortly tanks began to roll, they got here from the western highway and headed towards Al Shifa, then sounds of gunfire and explosions elevated,” Mohammad Ali, 32, a father of two, who lives round one kilometre from the hospital, advised Reuters through a chat app.
“We do not know what is occurring, nevertheless it seemed as if it was a re-invasion of the Gaza Metropolis,” he added, saying that the army actions started at round 1:00 a.m. (2300 GMT Sunday).
Gaza’s Hamas-run well being ministry mentioned a hearth broke out on the entrance of the hospital complicated, inflicting instances of suffocation amongst displaced girls and youngsters sheltering within the hospital. It mentioned communication had been lower off, with folks trapped contained in the surgical procedure and emergency items of one of many buildings.
“There are casualties, together with deaths and accidents, and it is unattainable to rescue anybody because of the depth of the hearth and focusing on of anybody approaching the home windows,” the ministry mentioned.
The Israeli military dropped new leaflets across the hospital in Gaza Metropolis.
“To all those that exist or are displaced in Rimal and the displaced in Al Shifa and its neighborhood: you’re in a harmful fight zone. The IDF is working exhausting in its residential areas to destroy terror infrastructure,” mentioned the assertion, which ordered the folks to take the coastal highway in direction of Al-Mawasi within the southern Gaza Strip.
The Israeli army issued footage of the in a single day operation displaying troopers within the hospital compound engaged in gunfights. Reuters couldn’t independently confirm the video.
Footage circulated on social media appeared to indicate an Israeli tank blocking the primary gate of Al Shifa.
The army mentioned troops had been instructed on the significance of working cautiously in addition to on measures to be taken to keep away from hurt to sufferers, civilians, medical workers and medical gear, and mentioned sufferers weren’t required to evacuate.
Not removed from Al Shifa, Israeli military forces raided a faculty the place displaced households had been sheltering, and detained a number of males there, residents and Hamas media mentioned. Residents reported tanks had been additionally working on the sting of the Seashore refugee camp and mentioned tanks fired shells at some buildings close by.
Hamas mentioned in an announcement the Israeli army had dedicated a brand new crime by immediately focusing on the hospital buildings with out caring about sufferers, medical workers or displaced folks in it.
Israel got here underneath fierce criticism final 12 months when troops first raided the hospital, the place they uncovered tunnels they mentioned had been used as command and management centres by Hamas. Hamas and medical workers deny the hospital has been used for army functions or to shelter fighters.
(Reporting by James Mackenzie, Nidal Al-Mughrabi, Tala Ramadan, Ari Rabinovitch; Modifying by Miral Fahmy, Bernadette Baum and Ros Russell)
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