Late on Tuesday night, about a week after the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) encircled Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital, Israeli forces entered the complex in what has been described as a ‘targeted operation against Hamas’. IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that troops are operating specifically within the western area of the hospital, one of the largest medical facilities in Gaza.
The IDF’s military operation within the hospital, and other hospitals in Gaza, has been a highly contentious issue in the international community. The US – Israel’s closest ally – declared that Israel operate with extreme care in hospitals, making sure that patients and staff do not get caught in the crossfire.
Targeting Hamas’s command centres and storage facilities is pivotal to successfully bringing their rule of Gaza to a close
According to international humanitarian law, hospitals get special protections during wars. However, they lose these protections if they are used by combatants to store weapons or hide fighters.
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