Was Hamas Command Center Found Under Gaza Hospital? What New Video Shows

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that evidence of an underground Hamas command center was located underneath a children's hospital in Gaza City, including signs that the location was once used to hold hostages.

Fighting in Gaza has intensified since the October 7 Hamas attacks and Israel has been heavily criticized for the attack on the Al-Shifa hospital complex. Attacks on hospitals have become a flashpoint in the fighting and the presence, or lack thereof, of a Hamas command center, could threaten international support for Israel and put President Joe Biden in a difficult position.

In a video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, on Monday, IDF chief spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari walked through the basement of the Al-Rantisi Specialized Hospital for Children in western Gaza. Israel said that as of Sunday night, the hospital had been evacuated as far as they were aware after troops surrounded the building several days prior, reported NBC News.

Hagari pointed at evidence in the hospital's basement that he said were signs that the building was used as a Hamas command center, including heavy military equipment such as firearms, hand grenades and vests strapped with explosives.

"I want you to understand, this kind of gear is the gear for a major fight," he said standing next to the equipment.

Hagari also pointed to proof that hostages still being held by Hams may have been housed in Al-Rantisi's basement. Such signs included a baby bottle and diapers, as well as "improvised" infrastructure like a shower, a toilet and a small kitchen area. He also pointed out a room that included several couches and chairs as well as curtains that were hung up against a brick wall. Hagari notes that there is "no reason" to put a curtain in the room "unless you want to film hostages and deliver movies."

The IDF spokesperson also found a list written in Arabic in the room, which he claims reads, "We are in operation."

"This is a guardian list where every terrorist writes his name, and every terrorist has his own shift guarding the people that were here," Hagari added.

The video also included footage of what Hagari said was the house of a senior Hamas naval officer located within 200 yards of Al-Rantisi hospital, as well as a tunnel near the hospital's premises. The tunnel in question reportedly stretches 20 meters and is fortified by a bulletproof door.

"It looks like hard evidence, clear evidence that the hospital" is connected to the tunnel, Hagari added.

Newsweek was unable to verify the IDF's report. An email has been sent to the IDF press office for further information.

Israel has long said that Hamas uses homes, hospitals and schools as shields for fighters, in part because the loss of civilian lives garners sympathy for the Palestinian liberation movement and international attention. Monday's videos from the IDF come as Israel's forces continue closing in on the Al-Shifa hospital—Gaza's largest healthcare facility—which they claim also holds a Hamas command center underneath its structure. However, Tel Aviv has provided little evidence for their claim, and Hamas and Shifa Hospital Director Mohammed Abu Selmia have denied the existence of an underground commander center.

Ahead of the release of the videos on Monday, Israel released a map with markings they alleged were locations of underground militant installations.

"If we see Hamas terrorists firing from hospitals, we'll do what we need to do," Israeli army spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hecht told the Associated Press.

Power has been cut from the hospital, according to Gaza health ministry spokesperson Ashraf Al-Qidra, who told Reuters that patients, including newborn babies, have died. The New York Times reported that thousands of people fled Al-Shifa over the weekend, and the World Health Organization said Monday that the situation is "dire and perilous" for patients inside.

On Monday, Biden told reporters from the Oval Office that Gaza's hospitals "must be protected," adding "My hope and expectation is that there will be less intrusive action relative to hospitals."

Update 11/13/23, 5:57 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information and background.

Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.