The Israeli military said on Wednesday (20) that it had killed around 90 armed men and arrested 160 in an attack on Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza, an allegation that the Islamist group Hamas denied.
Al-Shifa, the largest hospital in the pre-war Gaza Strip, is now one of the few health facilities still partially operational in the north of the territory, and also housed civilians.
“Over the last day, troops eliminated terrorists and located weapons in the hospital area, preventing harm to civilians, patients, medical staff and medical equipment,” the military said in a statement.
The names and photographs of two Israeli soldiers killed in the operation were also published.
Israel's incursion into the hospital began in the early hours of Monday (18). The military, which published videos of alleged weapons caches inside the facility, said it sent special forces supported by infantry and tanks, based on intelligence that would show the hospital was again being used by armed men.
Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Gaza government's media office, said all the dead were injured patients and civilians sheltering inside the hospital.
“The Israeli occupation army practices lies and deceives by spreading its narrative as part of the justification of its ongoing and law-breaking crimes, which violate international law, international humanitarian law,” he said.
Reuters was unable to verify either account.
Israel faced harsh criticism last November when troops first raided Al-Shifa hospital. Troops discovered tunnels that they said were used as command and control centers by Hamas.
Hamas and medical staff deny that the hospital is used for military purposes or to house fighters.
“What happens at Al-Shifa Hospital is a war crime and is part of the genocidal war led by the Israeli occupation,” said senior Hamas official Basem Naim, who previously served as health minister.
*Reporting by Maayan Lubell and Nidal al-Mughrabi; Editing by Kevin Liffey, Gareth Jones and Sharon Singleton
Source: CNN Brasil
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