GAZA. Israeli military forces announced the discovery of a Hamas command center, along with weapons and combat gear, within the premises of Al Shifa, Gaza’s largest hospital.
The incursion on Wednesday heightened global concern over the safety of civilians caught in the crossfire. Israeli forces claim that the hospital’s tunnels serve as the “beating heart” of Hamas operations, a charge vehemently denied by the Palestinian group, dismissing it as “lies and cheap propaganda.”
Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari stated that troops, still conducting searches after entering the hospital early on Wednesday, found an operational command center and technological assets belonging to Hamas.
The military released a video showing materials allegedly recovered from an undisclosed building within the hospital compound, including automatic weapons, grenades, ammunition, and flak jackets.
The entry into Al Shifa, which had become a focal point of Gaza City clashes, has triggered conflicting reports. Witnesses inside the compound described a tense situation as Israeli troops moved through the buildings. The military insisted there was no fighting or friction with civilians, patients, or staff once inside.
International attention has focused on the plight of patients without electricity for essential medical equipment and the thousands of displaced civilians seeking shelter in the hospital. Gaza officials reported the deaths of patients, including newborns, in recent days while the hospital was encircled by Israeli forces.
In response to the situation, the United Nations Security Council issued a call for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses, urging a “sufficient number of days” for aid access. The council also called for the immediate and unconditional release of hostages held by Hamas.
Amidst diplomatic efforts, Qatar has mediated negotiations for a possible ceasefire. Reports suggest a proposed three-day truce, with Hamas releasing captives and Israel releasing women and minors among its security detainees. However, Israel has so far rejected calls for a ceasefire, arguing it would benefit Hamas.
In a further development, Israeli forces dropped leaflets advising Palestinians to evacuate parts of southern Gaza, raising concerns of a potential expansion of their offensive. This move comes as hundreds of thousands of people, who had previously heeded evacuation orders, are already crowded into U.N.-run shelters and family homes.
Simultaneously, the search operation at Shifa Hospital in the north, initiated on Wednesday, continued. Israeli soldiers presented guns allegedly discovered in one building but have not yet provided evidence of the central Hamas command center supposedly hidden beneath the complex. Denying the accusations, both Hamas and hospital staff refute Israel’s claims.
The prospect of broadening military operations to the south, an area already subjected to daily air raids, raises alarms about exacerbating the severe humanitarian crisis in the besieged territory. With over 1.5 million people internally displaced in Gaza, most seeking refuge in the south, essential resources such as food, water, and electricity are becoming increasingly scarce.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
