Israel says troops have entered Al-Shifa hospital for 'precise' operation against Hamas

Israel Defense Forces has said that its troops have entered Al-Shifa hospital, the biggest hospital in Gaza City to carry out an operation against a suspected Hamas command centre.

"Based on intelligence information and an operational necessity, IDF forces are carrying out a precise and targeted operation against Hamas in a specified area in the Shifa Hospital," the IDF has said in a statement quoted by AFP.

The development has come just hours after White House spokesperson John Kirby said that Hamas was running a command and control centre from Al-Shifa hospital.

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Previously, the US and even the US President Joe Biden have spoken of the need for Al-Shifa hospital to be protected. As per estimate by the United Nations, there are at least 2300 people inside the Al-Shifa that include patients, staff and civilians who sought to take shelter.

Also Read | Hamas runs 'command and control' centre from Al-Shifa hospital: White House

"There are bodies littered in the hospital complex and there is no longer electricity at the morgues," said Al-Shifa hospital director Mohammad Abu Salmiya, adding that 179 bodies had been interred so far.

"We were forced to bury them in a mass grave," he said.

Hamas holds Biden 'wholly responsible'

Shortly after Israeli troops entered the hospital, Hamas lashed out at US President Joe Biden and held him "wholly responsible" for the operation.

"We hold the occupation (Israel) and President Biden wholly responsible for the assault on the Al-Shifa medical complex," Hamas said in a statement.

"The adoption by the White House and the Pentagon of the occupation's false claim that the resistance is using the Al-Shifa medical complex for military ends has given the green light to the occupation to commit more massacres against civilians."

Israel has been consistently saying that Hamas was using hospitals in Gaza as hideouts for its fighters as attacking hospitals would be against international law and the militants would get possible protection against military bombardment. Hamas has been consistently denying this but White House' assertion on November 14 appeared to substantiate Israel's claim.

Watch | IDF shares footage of tunnels in Hamas which have bulletproof doors

AFP reported that Israeli military has said that its ground teams have medics and Arabic speakers "who have undergone specified training to prepare for this complex and sensitive environment".

(More information to follow shortly)

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