Since Israel’s ground troops invaded Gaza 19 days ago, the fate of its war has become largely entwined with the fate of the territory’s largest hospital.
Israeli soldiers on Wednesday morning stormed that hospital, Al-Shifa, searching its corridors and rooms for evidence to support Israel’s assertion that the sprawling medical complex doubles as a secret military command center.
Over the course of the day, they hunted for weapons and interrogated those they found inside, according to both Israeli officials and Palestinians at the hospital.
Israel says Al-Shifa, a sprawling complex in Gaza City, conceals an underground military base and has presented its capture as a key metric of Israeli success.
The Israelis also say that Hamas’s use of the hospital highlights how the group defends itself with human shields.
Organizations:
Wednesday
Locations:
Gaza, Al, Israel, Gaza City