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Wetin Israel say dem find inside Gaza main hospital wey dem raid?

28235675 Sojojin Isra'ila a asibitin Gaza

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 Source: BBC

BBC and one oda television crew be di first journalists wey dey invited by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to see wetin Israel say dem find for di site inside Al-Shifa Hospital complex afta dem raid Gaza main hospital for wetin dem say na "targeted operation against Hamas".

Doctors for di hospital say dem dey work without power, food or water for days now - and say critically ill patients don die as a result, including newborn babies. Pipo wey bin dey displaced by di fighting for Gaza dey take shelter inside di hospital complex.

But Israel say Hamas also dey run a network of underground tunnels, including under Al-Shifa Hospital.

On Wednesday, Israel say dem discover Hamas' "operational centre" for di hospital, dem share fotos of wetin dem tok say na Hamas weapons and equipment.

Hamas don deny say dem dey operate from di hospital and BBC no fit independently verify claims by either side.

UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths tok say di Israeli raid "shock" dem, while di World Health Organization (WHO) say dem dey "extremely worried" for patients and staff, wey dem no fit contact again.

Israel say dem discover Hamas operational centre

On Wednesday evening, IDF tok say dia sojas discover "one operational command centre, weapons, and technological assets" wey belong to Hamas inside di MRI building.

Dem tok say di raid na "based on intelligence information and na operational necessity", wey dey call for di surrender of "all Hamas terrorists" wey dey dia.

Dem tok say dem go "continue to operate for di hospital complex", as dem share images and videos wey show Hamas weapons for dia.

For inside one seven-minute video, IDF tok-tok pesin Jonathan Conricus bin point to security cameras wey e tok say dey hidden plus weapons wey e tok say be AK47 rifles dem hide behind MRI scanners.

As dem let BBC in afta di operation, for di corridors of di MRI unit, Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus show BBC three small stashes of Kalashnikovs, ammunition and bullet-proof vests - e say dem don find around 15 guns in all, along with some grenades.

Lt Col Conricus also show some military booklets and pamphlets, and one map wey e say dey marked with potential entry and exit routes from di hospital.

Wetin e tell tells us, e say, na say Hamas use hospitals for military purposes."[And] we uncover a lot of computers and oda equipment wey fit really shed light on di current situation, hopefully regarding hostages as well."

Di laptops, e tok, contain photos and videos of hostages, dem take afta dia kidnap to Gaza. Recently released footage, shared by Israeli police, of dia interrogations of Hamas fighters dem arrest afta di October attacks dey dia. Dem no show BBC wetin dey inside di laptops.

Dis, Lt Col Conricus say, suggest say Hamas bin dey here "within di last few days".

"At di end of di day, dis na just di tip of di iceberg," e tok. "Hamas no dey here because dem see us dey come. Dis na probably wetin dem bin dey forced to leave behind. Our assessment be say plenty more still dey."

For early mor-mor on Wednesday, IDF bin tok say dia forces dey di middle of one "precise and targeted operation against Hamas for one specified area" for di hospital.

Eyewitness account from hospital

Di BBC bin follow one tori pesin and one doctor inside di hospital tok to find out wetin dey happun dia, while di Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also dey provide updates.

Khader, one tori pesin for inside Al-Shifa, tell BBC Rushdi Abualouf say Israeli sojas bin dey in "complete control" of di hospital and dem no shoot.

E tok say six tanks and about 100 commandos bin enter di main complex for night. Di Israeli forces come dey search from room to room, begin question staff and patients.

Tori be say IDF bin ask all di men wey dey di age of 16-40 to comot di hospital buildings, except di surgical and emergency departments, dem say make dem go di hospital courtyard.

Sojas bin fire into di air to force those wey remain inside to come out, Khader tok.

However, Muhammad Zaqout, di Hamas-run Gaza health ministry director of hospitals, tell Al Jazeera say dem no fire "a single bullet" - because "no resistors or detainees" dey inside.

But unless Israel get more to reveal, di military controversial operation inside di hospital no catch any major arsenal of weapons, BBC Orla Guerin for Jerusalem bin tok.

Hamas know say Israel dey come, so if dem bin dey operate under di hospital, dem for don get weeks to clear am out through Gaza extensive tunnel network, our correspondent add.

Israel Army Radio bin report say dem neva see any sign of any of di 240 hostages Hamas take during di 7 October attack on Israel, wey lead to di death of 1,200 pipo.

Di raid on Al-Shifa dey come shortly afta di US publicly support Israeli claim say Hamas get infrastructure under di hospital.

However, Dr Ahmed Mokhallalati, one plastic surgeon for Al-Shifa, tell BBC say na only civilians dey for di hospital.

E tok say tunnels dey under every building for Gaza, including Al-Shifa hospital.

Hospitals get special protection for war time

According to international humanitarian law, hospitals na specially protected facilities.

Dis one mean say parties wey dey fight no fit attack hospitals, or stop dem from performing dia medical functions.

Dem fit lose dia protection if either of di party to di conflict dey use dem commit "act harmful to di enemy".

Di International Committee of di Red Cross (ICRC) tok say dis fit be something like hospital dem dey use as base, and na from dia dem take dey launch attack, as a shelter for able-bodied fighters, or to shield a military objective from attack.

IDF tok say dem bin don repeatedly warn Hamas say dia "continued military use of Al-Shifa fit affect dia protected status", dem call for di evacuation of di hospital before di raid.

WHO don warn say evacuating patients fit be "death sentence", as di medical system don dey collapse.

Worsening humanitarian situation

Dr Mokhallalati bin tell BBC on Wednesday say di hospital no get light, oxygen and water.

On Tuesday, di surgeries wey dem carry out na without proper anaesthesia, as patients dey "scream in pain". Doctors no fit help one patient wit burns, and dem get to just "leave am to die".

Dr Mokhallalati tok say six premature babies bin die recently for di hospital.

"Why dem no fit evacuate dem," e tok say, "for Afghanistan, dem bin evacuate dia cats and dogs."

Di IDF tok say dem dey provide incubators, baby food and medical supplies.

Source: BBC