Israeli Army Provides Evidence That Hamas Terrorists Held Hostages Under Gaza Children's Hospital
The Israeli military has released evidence that the basement of a Gaza City hospital was used by the Hamas terrorist group to hide weapons and possibly hold hostages abducted on 7 October, as reported by Times of Іsrael.
"Hamas is hiding in hospitals. Today we will reveal this to the world," said IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari during a press conference.
Hagari presented evidence of Hamas weapons being stored under the Rantisi Children's Hospital in Gaza, as well as rooms that were allegedly used to hold hostages. In one room, which looked like a living room, there were window curtains covering a tiled wall and a calendar of guard changes starting on 7 October, the day Hamas sent thousands of terrorists to Israel, where they killed about 1,200 people and took approximately 240 others hostage.
In the next room, a chair was found with a woman's robe and a rope around one of its legs, which Hagari said was evidence of a person being forcibly held.
The chair stood under equipment donated by the World Health Organisation, with a baby bottle on top and nappies on the floor.
"It's a war crime, it's a crime against humanity," Hagari said, accusing international organisations that fund hospitals of aiding terror.
They also found a room with a makeshift bathroom, kitchen and ventilation pipe.
According to Hagari, Israel is continuing the investigation. A forensic team was sent there on Monday.
Among the weapons found in the basement of the hospital were suicide vests, grenades, AK-47 assault rifles, explosive devices, RPGs and other weapons, the Israeli IDF said.
Hagari called the area a Hamas command and control centre.
"Hamas is using hospitals as a weapon of war," Hagari said in a video from the hospital basement.
"Our war is against Hamas, not against the people of Gaza," Hagari said. "Our war is against Hamas, which uses people as human shields."
"We are trying to move the people of Gaza to a safe zone in the south and expose these hospitals as terror machines," Hagari said on Monday. "The world must know this. And the world must not forget the crimes against humanity committed against Israel."
According to him, some terrorists could have evacuated the hospital under the guise of patients.
International law provides hospitals with special protection in times of war. But according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, hospitals can lose these protections if combatants use them to hide fighters or store weapons.