During the Israel–Hamas war, Israel and the United States[1][2] stated that a vast complex existed under al-Shifa hospital that was being used by Hamas as its "main operations base", which Hamas and hospital administrators denied.[3][4] Following Israel's release of video evidence on 22 November, multiple news agencies concluded that the evidence did not demonstrate the use by Hamas of a command center,[5][6][7][8][9] while Haaretz concluded that Hamas did use the hospital for military purposes.[10] Amnesty International said on 23 November 2023 that "Amnesty International has so far not seen any credible evidence to support Israel’s claim that al-Shifa is housing a military command centre" and that "the Israeli military has so far failed to provide credible evidence" for the allegation.[11] Izzat al-Risheq, a Hamas official, denied that the group used the hospital as a shield for its underground military structures, saying there was no truth to the claims.[12][13]
Israel has been accused of waging a propaganda war to detract from accusations that its actions at al-Shifa constitute violations of international law, and medical staff at al-Shifa have accused Israel of directly causing the deaths of civilians being treated at al-Shifa, including prematurely born babies.[14] The head of the World Health Organization called the November raid on the hospital "totally unacceptable".[15]
Following the end of the Al-Shifa Hospital siege, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called for an independent investigation, stating "This is precisely where you need an independent international investigation, because we have different narratives, you cannot use ... hospitals, for any military purposes. But you also cannot attack a hospital in the absence of clear evidence."[16] International law prohibits the targeting of hospitals unless used for a military purpose that is "harmful to the enemy", as well as the use of human shields for combatants; both constitute war crimes.[17] A raid in March 2024 saw Israeli and Hamas forces engaged in crossfire at the hospital.[18][19]
- ^ Crawford and Nagle, Shannon and Molly. "US 'still convinced' Hamas used Al-Shifa Hospital as command center as Israeli raid continues". ABC News. Retrieved 2023-11-23.
- ^ "Thousands trapped as Israeli forces raid Gaza's al-Shifa Hospital". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
- ^ "Hamas's main operations base is under Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, says IDF". The Times of Israel.
- ^ "Israeli forces raid Gaza's largest hospital, where hundreds of patients are stranded by fighting". AP News. 15 November 2023. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
- ^ "Israel unveils what it claims is a major Hamas militant hideout beneath Gaza City's Shifa Hospital". AP News. 23 November 2023.
Israel has not yet unveiled this purported center, but the military portrayed the underground hideout as its most significant discovery yet. Hamas and the hospital administration have denied Israel's accusations.
- ^ Dubai, Dov Lieber in Tel Aviv and Omar Abdel-Baqui in (22 November 2023). "Inside Israel's Campaign to Prove a Gaza Hospital Was a Hamas Command Center". WSJ.
While many security analysts agree the latest evidence Israel has released increasingly suggests a Hamas presence at the hospital, most say they have yet to see something that constitutes a smoking gun showing it was a command center for Hamas, as Israel has alleged.
- ^ Sabbagh, Dan (23 November 2023). "Israel arrests Gaza hospital director and bombs 300 targets amid truce delay". The Guardian.
Israel has repeatedly claimed that Hamas ran a command and control centre from tunnels running near and under the hospital, although so far the evidence presented has fallen short of that.
- ^ "Secrets of the tunnels: What lies beneath al Shifa hospital?". Sky News.
The Israeli army is continuing to search the site for evidence of Hamas's presence, including the alleged command and control centre.
- ^ Vasilyeva, Nataliya; Barnes, Joe (2023-11-23). "Inside the tunnels beneath Gaza's Al-Shifa hospital". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2023-11-25.
While the footage does prove the existence of tunnels underneath the complex, it remains unclear whether they formed part of a Hamas command centre, as Israel claims.
- ^ "Videos Show Exact Path of Hamas Tunnels Under Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital". Haaretz. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
- ^ "Amnesty International UK Briefing: CRISIS IN ISRAEL AND THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES 23 November 2023" (PDF). Amnesty International UK. November 23, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
- ^ Beaumont, Peter (30 October 2023). "What is a human shield and how has Hamas been accused of using them?". The Guardian.
- ^ "Hamas rejects Israeli claim over installations under al-Shifa hospital". Al Jazeera.
- ^ Scahill, Jeremy (November 21, 2023). "Al-Shifa Hospital, Hamas's Tunnels, and Israeli Propaganda". The Intercept. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
- ^ Sinmaz, Emine; Burke, Jason (November 15, 2023). "Israeli soldiers raid al-Shifa hospital in escalation of Gaza offensive". The Guardian. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
- ^ Carey, Andrew; Shortell, David (17 November 2023). "UN High Commissioner for Human Rights calls for independent investigation into Al-Shifa hospitals claims". CNN.
- ^ Taub, Amanda (16 November 2023). "How International Law Views Military Action at a Hospital". The New York Times.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:2was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
:3was invoked but never defined (see the help page).