17-11-2023 (GAZA) Israeli soldiers have reportedly discovered a tunnel shaft used by Hamas militants at Gaza’s Al-Shifa Hospital, according to the Israeli army. Simultaneously, the United Nations expressed apprehension that humanitarian aid to Palestinians via the Rafah crossing with Egypt would be disrupted on Friday.
The army released a video showcasing a tunnel entrance in an outdoor area of Al-Shifa, Gaza’s largest hospital. While Reuters could not immediately verify the video, it displayed a deep hole in the ground surrounded by concrete, wood rubble, and sand, suggesting excavation. The army claimed to find a vehicle at the hospital containing a substantial number of weapons.
Hamas refuted claims by the Pentagon and the US State Department that Al-Shifa was used for military purposes, dismissing them as a “blatantly false narrative.” The United States stands by its intelligence assessment on Hamas activities at Al-Shifa Hospital, with White House spokesman John Kirby affirming confidence in the evaluation.
In a concerning development, Gaza’s two telecoms companies reported a complete network outage due to depleted energy sources. Israel has refused fuel imports, citing concerns that Hamas could utilize them for military purposes. With communication down and fuel shortages, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) expressed difficulty coordinating humanitarian aid truck convoys.
UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini warned of potential fatalities due to the lack of fuel, emphasizing the urgency of addressing the situation. Palestinian civilians continue to suffer the consequences of Israel’s military campaign, triggered by an October 7 attack by Hamas.
Israel’s military chief stated that they were close to dismantling Hamas’ military system in northern Gaza, signaling a potential expansion of the campaign. Israel distributed pamphlets urging civilians to evacuate four towns in southern Gaza, areas previously considered safe.
Israeli officials claimed that Hamas held hostages in Al-Shifa hospital since an October 7 incident, with the recovery of a woman’s body near the hospital on Thursday. Military equipment, including weapons, was allegedly found in the building.
Human Rights Watch emphasized the special protections hospitals enjoy under international humanitarian law, stating that hospitals only lose these protections if harmful acts are carried out from the premises.
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, on his first visit to Israel since the October 7 Hamas attack, called on Israel to enhance civilian protection in Gaza. In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen attributed the current plight of Palestinians in Gaza to Hamas, holding them responsible not only for the recent attack but for broader consequences.
Exposing another layer of Hamas’ exploitation of three of the largest hospitals in Gaza:
????Inside the Shifa Hospital complex, a Hamas terrorist tunnel was uncovered.
1/3 pic.twitter.com/uGo4uBdTly
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 17, 2023
