theo reutersIn an update on the operation at Al Shifa hospital in Gaza City, the Israeli military said its engineers had discovered a tunnel 10 meters deep and 55 meters long, up to an explosion-proof door.
“This type of door is used by the Hamas movement to prevent Israeli forces from entering command centers and underground assets,” the Israeli military said along with a video, which showed a narrow passage with an arched concrete ceiling Which ends with a gray door.
Israel releases photos of tunnel beneath Gaza’s largest hospital. Photo: Reuters
The statement did not say what was beyond the door. According to the Israeli military, the tunnel can be accessed through a passageway discovered in a warehouse inside the Al Shifa compound, where ammunition was stored.
Meanwhile, Gaza Health Authority director Munir El Barsh said Israel’s statement was a “lie”.
While acknowledging that there are hundreds of kilometers of tunnels in the Gaza Strip, Hamas denies that these tunnels are located in civilian infrastructure such as hospitals.
The same day, 19 November, Israel continued to accuse Hamas of exploiting the Gaza Strip’s largest hospital, and said that a captured soldier had been executed and two foreign hostages were being held there by Hamas.
Israel is searching for about 240 people captured by Hamas in the Gaza Strip after a cross-border attack on October 7. One of them is 19-year-old Israeli soldier Noah Marciano. Noah’s body was found near Al Shifa last week. Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari claimed that he was assassinated by Hamas.
The World Health Organization (WHO) successfully evacuated 31 children from Al Shifa Hospital to the southern Gaza Strip. Photo: The New Arab
During the televised press conference, Mr. Hagari also said that Hamas gunmen had brought a Nepali and a Thai to Al Shifa.
Hamas has not commented on Mr Hagari’s statement. The movement had earlier said it had taken some hostages to hospital for treatment.
In another development, the World Health Organization (WHO) successfully evacuated 31 children from Al Shifa Hospital to the southern Gaza Strip in preparation for transfer to the Emirates Hospital in Rafah.
Published photos show children receiving care and medical assistance upon arrival in the southern Gaza Strip.
WHO Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the organization was planning to evacuate remaining patients from Al Shifa.
