Israel has uncovered weapons and military equipment in one of the largest hospitals in the Gaza Strip operated by Hamas, the ruling party and militant group in the Palestinian enclave, the Israel Defense Forces announced Tuesday.
The equipment was allegedly used by Hamas to store weapons and other military-grade supplies, according to the IDF. The military says it raided the hospital after receiving intelligence which suggests it was used as a hideout for Hamas militants.
The raid on the Shifa Hospital in the Gaza Strip is the latest in a series of operations carried out by the Israeli military in an attempt to quell Palestinian militancy. Earlier this month, the Israeli military killed a top Hamas commander and four other Palestinians in calibrated strikes targeting Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The raid on the hospital came amid heated public debate in Israel over the use of violence in resolving the conflict between the Jewish state and Palestinian militants. Israeli media has been full of condemnation of the military raids from human rights groups, and Friday saw a wave of violence wracking the region.
The IDF said that its troops uncovered weapons and military equipment during the operation, but did not disclose the exact type of materials. However, the military did confirm that Hamas militants had used the hospital as a hideout of sorts for their weapons. That could mean the weapons were hidden in the hospital’s medical supplies, posing a danger to the patients in the building.
The IDF has promised to investigate the matter more closely. It remains unclear, however, whether the raids on the hospital have violated international law.
The discovery of weapons and military equipment in the Shifa Hospital highlights the precarious security situation in Gaza. Hamas militants have increased their operations in recent weeks, and Israeli military operations have done little to stop their activities. This issue of security continues to be a major source of tension in the difficult relationship between Israelis and Palestinians.