Israel accused Hamas of launching attacks from hospitals in Gaza, said this was a war crime and signalled that such action could make medical facilities a legitimate target.

A military spokesperson claimed the Israeli authorities had “concrete evidence” that hundreds of Hamas fighters who took part in the 7 October terrorist atrocity in southern Israel afterwards “flooded” into Shifa hospital, the largest medical complex in the Gaza Strip.

“What we are doing now is putting a red flag to the world,” Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said at a news briefing.

“We are putting a red flag against the international law.”

Israel-Gaza latest: Israel conducts ‘sea raid’; US fighter jets strike Iran-linked locations in Syria

The officer shared on a screen what he said was intelligence material proving that Hamas militants were commanding attacks against Israel from inside Shifa hospital.

It was not immediately possible to independently verify the claims.

Read more:
Sadiq Khan among senior Labour figures to back full ceasefire in Gaza
Israel carries out second ground raid on Gaza Strip

“He does his command and control in different departments of the hospital,” the spokesperson said, pointing to areas of the facility that were outlined in red.

“He uses these places in order to do command and control for terror activities, launching rockets.”

Rear Admiral Hagari showed what he said was a reconstruction of a network of underground tunnels that ran under the hospital.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

He alleged that it was possible to enter the tunnels from inside the hospital wards.

“Right now, terrorists move freely in Shifa hospital and other hospitals in Gaza,” the spokesperson said.

“Hamas’s use of hospitals is systematic… When medical facilities are used for terror purposes, they are liable to lose their protection from attack in accordance with international law.

“The IDF (Israel Defence Forces) will continue making efforts to minimise harm to the civilian population and will continue to act in accordance with international law.”

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Israel had shared its intelligence on hospitals with the intelligence agencies of its allies, the spokesperson added.

Another IDF spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner, was asked by Sky News if the briefing was to soften the ground for the Israeli military to begin strikes on hospitals.

He said: “We have been telling people for the last two weeks to leave the north of the Gaza Strip.

“We’ve also made several calls to the Shifa hospital. Those calls have not been accepted and have not been responded to.

“And now we understand why, because Hamas is preventing people from moving, Hamas is limiting their capability, this is the reality we are facing.”

Asked if hospitals would no longer be afforded protection under international law, he said: “If these actions continue from hospitals, under certain conditions, hospitals could indeed lose the protections that they are entitled to.

“They (Hamas) have to leave hospitals, they have to let people leave hospitals, they can’t tell them to say and hold them hostage in hospitals.”

Related posts:

Nine dead after small plane carrying skydivers crashes after take-off in Sweden 100-year-old former Nazi camp guard goes on trial in Germany over 3,518 deaths ‘Do what is morally right’: WHO sets target of vaccinating 70% of world by mid-2022 Russian cyber attack on Lithuania unlikely to provoke military response ‘I am so angry’: British model says Spain’s body positivity campaign edited out her prosthetic leg Overpopulation hitting the poorest as family planning remains contentious in Nigeria Less than 9% of voters turn out for Tunisia election Who will win the World Cup? France and Argentina get ready for final Fairytale ending for Messi – Argentina beat France in penalty shootout to win World Cup Rescue operation after Thai navy ship sinks off the coast Climber rescued after plunging into crack on world’s 10th highest mountain US soldier who entered N Korea ‘seeking refuge as he had ill feeling against army’