Israeli forces say they have found evidence of kidnapped hostages at the Ranteesi Children’s Hospital in the Gaza Strip. Footage was released on Monday showing the terrorist organization Hamas holding hostages and storing weapons in the clinic’s basement (see video above).
According to army spokesman Daniel Hagari, an arsenal of Kalashnikovs, rocket-propelled grenades, hand grenades and explosive vests were found in the basement. The room is decorated with children’s drawings. “Robust grenades were fired from this hospital,” Hagari said in the video.
Temporary living space in the basement
Signs were also found indicating that Hamas was holding hostages here. “We are currently investigating that. But we also have information that confirms this,” the army spokesman added. Images show makeshift living spaces in the basement of the hospital, complete with toilet, shower and small kitchen. “You don’t need to install something like that in the basement of a hospital, unless you want to hide someone there,” Hagari emphasizes.
Israel offers incubators
According to his own statements, the military spokesman visited the children’s hospital on Monday, a day after the Israeli army ordered it evacuated as part of the ground offensive. Last week the hospital ran out of fuel to supply electricity.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army has offered to deliver incubators for premature babies to Gaza. “We are at war with Hamas and not with the people of Gaza,” an army spokeswoman said on Tuesday.
“We have made a formal offer to the health authorities in Gaza to bring incubators to the Gaza Strip to help the children’s clinic at Shifa Hospital,” said the spokeswoman for Israel’s Cogat authority, which is responsible for contacts with the Palestinians. video published on Tuesday.
UN: 36 premature babies in danger of life
According to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry, the largest clinic in the closed coastal strip has been out of use since the weekend. The UN emergency aid agency OCHA announced that 36 premature babies who depend on incubators and therefore electricity, as well as several dialysis patients, were at acute risk of death due to the power outage. An audio recording released by the Israeli military discusses the delivery of 37 incubators to Shifa Hospital.
Recently, seven newborns died in Shifa Hospital after the oxygen machines were turned off, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza. The lack of fuel led to the deaths of 34 patients, the ministry said on Monday. The information could not be independently verified.
Biden: Protect hospitals
US President Joe Biden on Monday called on Israel to better protect hospitals in the Gaza Strip. Biden said at the White House on Monday that he hoped and expected there would be less intense fighting over hospitals. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan also demanded that, in addition to better protection of hospitals, there should be safe evacuation routes for those trapped there. According to eyewitnesses, thousands of people are still trapped in Shifa Hospital, including hundreds of patients and children.
There is heavy fighting in the immediate vicinity of the building. It is considered strategically important in Israel because the army suspects it is the command center of the Islamist Hamas. Hamas and hospital staff deny the accusation.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
