As Israel Defence Forces (IDF) intensified their air strikes in Gaza and announced expansion of the ground operation, Hamas on Friday called on Arab and Muslim countries to “act immediately” to stop Israel’s intense bombardment in the Palestinian territory.
“We call on the Arab and Muslim countries and the international community to take responsibility and act immediately to stop the crimes and series of massacres against our people,” Hamas said in a statement.
The statement from Hamas comes moments after Israeli military said that it has intensified it’s air strikes in the Gaza strip to target underground facilities of Hamas militants.
Addressing a press briefing, IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said that Israel has increased its attacks in Gaza and again asked civilians to flee north and move south.
“In recent hours we have increased the attacks in Gaza. The air force widely attacks underground targets and terrorist infrastructure, very significantly,” the Israeli military spokesperson said.
“In continuation of the offensive activity we carried out in the last few days, the ground forces are expanding the ground activity this evening,” he said, hinting towards the launch of full-scale ground offensive.
Earlier, the IDF claimed that Hamas is using Gaza hospitals as command centres and that its main operations base located beneath the al-Shifa hospital, where thousands of displaced people are sheltering.
“Hamas terrorists operate inside and under Shifa hospital — and other hospitals in Gaza — with a network of terror tunnels,” Hagari had said in a separate briefing. “Shifa is not the only hospital — it is one of many. Hamas use of hospitals is systematic.”
However, Hamas denied Israeli military’s allegations that it is using Gaza hospitals as command centres, terming them “baseless and “a prelude to a new massacre against our people, greater than the one of the al-Ahli Baptist Hospital”.