23-11-2023 (GAZA) Israeli soldiers accompanied a group of journalists on November 22 to Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical facility in Gaza, to showcase a tunnel shaft believed to be part of a sprawling underground network utilized by Hamas for military purposes.
Al-Shifa Hospital, located in the northern Gaza Strip, has been a focal point in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants for several weeks. Israeli officials claim that Hamas has been employing the hospital as a hiding place for weapons and command centers. However, these assertions have been vehemently denied by both medical staff and the Islamist movement.
The AFP was among approximately two dozen journalists who were embedded with Israeli soldiers to witness what they claimed to be evidence of an extensive tunnel network beneath Al-Shifa. The still images, videos, and soundbites captured by the journalists were subjected to scrutiny and approval by the Israeli military censor.
As reporters descended a narrow shaft, they observed exposed electric wiring leading to a cramped tunnel spanning only a few meters in width. Colonel Elad Tsury, the commander of Israel’s Seventh Brigade, described the tunnel as “very long” and explained that it extended from the city to the hospital.
The soldier leading the tour guided reporters through what appeared to be a small kitchenette with a sink, a toilet, and a room containing two metal beds and a wall-mounted air conditioner. “When they are trying to survive, they go down, use hospitals as human shields, and they can stay here for a long time,” stated the soldier, alluding to the alleged tactics employed by Hamas.
While journalists were not granted access to the interior of the hospital, they were allowed to witness a portion of the extensive complex. Outside the facility, the military presented guns, ammunition, and explosives that they claimed were discovered within the Al-Shifa compound.
Dear world, is this enough proof for you? pic.twitter.com/Z3HNDPNV3O
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 22, 2023
This media tour followed an agreement between Israel and Hamas, which involved the release of at least 50 hostages and numerous Palestinian prisoners. Additionally, a four-day truce was offered to the besieged residents of Gaza, marking a temporary respite after weeks of intense warfare. Colonel Tsury revealed that near Al-Shifa, the military had discovered the body of one of the hostages, 19-year-old soldier Noa Marciano, highlighting the gravity of the situation. Explosions and gunfire were audible in the background as he made this statement.
According to Israeli authorities, Hamas gunmen abducted a total of 240 individuals, including Israelis, dual nationals, and foreigners, during the deadliest attacks in the nation’s 75-year history. The government reports that at least 1,200 people, primarily civilians, were killed in the conflict. In retaliation, Israel launched a relentless bombing campaign and initiated a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip.
The Hamas-run government in the Palestinian territory claims that the war has resulted in the deaths of over 14,100 people, with thousands of them being children. The ongoing conflict continues to generate significant casualties and destruction, leaving both sides grappling with the devastating consequences.
