The Israel Defense Force has detained Hussam Abu Safia, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza, along with over 240 terrorists, the military announced on Friday.
"240+ Hamas, Islamic Jihad terrorists and other operatives suspected of terrorist activities were apprehended, some of whom attempted to pose as patients or flee using ambulances," the IDF posted on X.
"Kamal Adwan Hospital serves as a Hamas stronghold in northern Gaza, from which terrorists have been operating throughout the war," the IDF said, adding that despite a targeted operation in October, the hospital revived to serve as a hideout for "terrorists."
The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) assisted in the arrests as the operation targeted Hamas terror infrastructure that had been hiding within the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Jabaliya in northern Gaza.
"IDF special forces conducted precise activities inside the hospital locating and confiscating weapons in the area, including grenades, guns, munitions, and military equipment," the agency said.
Israel has long contended Hamas terrorists are hiding among the most vulnerable, including children's schools and hospitals, seeking refuge in places where they can blame Israel for attacks seeking to find detained hostages and root out terrorists.
Some patients were evacuated to the Indonesian Hospital, which is not in service, and medics were prevented from joining them there, the Health Ministry said. Some others were transferred to another hospital in the southern Gaza Strip.
Palestinians have accused Israel of carrying out ethnic cleansing by depopulating those areas to create a buffer zone. Israel denies it is doing this, saying it aims to prevent Hamas fighters from regrouping in these areas.
The war was triggered by Hamas' attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken to Gaza as hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Information from Thompson/Reuters was used in this report.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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