The Israel Defense Forces have claimed that Hamas was using the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza for its militant activities and released picture “evidence” that shows a large cache of weapons and ammunition. The IDF said that the weapons were stored inside the MRI centre of the hospital.

In an operation that began in the wee hours of Wednesday, Israeli forces and tanks entered part of Al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s biggest medical facility and carried out room-by-room searches. During the raids, the IDF said that besides weapons, it also found intelligence material and other scripture that clearly tells that Hamas was using the hospital as its operation command base.

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“In the hospital, we found weapons, intelligence materials, and military technology and equipment,” military spokesman Daniel Hagari told reporters. “We also found an operational headquarters with comms equipment… belonging to Hamas” and “Hamas uniforms,” he said.

The pictures released by IDF shows guns and grenades that were found inside Shifa Hospital’s MRI center during the raid by the elite Shaldag unit and other forces of the 36th Division inside the medical center.

While Hamas has denied Israel’s claim, the US earlier Tuesday confirmed that Hamas and Islamic Jihad use Shifa and other Gaza hospitals, and tunnels underneath them, “to conceal and to support their military operations and to hold hostages.”

The IDF teams who have gone inside the hospital also include translators and medical professionals. The IDF published a video of its troops distributing medical aid including incubators, baby food and medical supplies to the hospital during the raid.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military also claimed to have found a room beneath the Rantisi Hospital in Gaza, where Israeli hostages are believed to have been held following their kidnapping after the brutal October 7 attack.

“Beneath the Rantisi Hospital in Gaza, IDF forces found a room where Israeli hostages are believed to have been held. The calendar found in the room marked the days since October 7 Massacre with the title “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood”, Hamas’ name for their horrific attack on Israel,” the IDF said.