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Shifa Hospital site (end of November 2023)
Photo: Abed Sabah / REUTERS
The Israeli army says it is once again deployed in the area of the Shifa Hospital in the embattled Gaza Strip.
The army announced on Monday night that a “precise” operation was currently being carried out on the site of the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip.
Eyewitnesses on site told the AFP news agency that Israel had carried out airstrikes in the al-Rimal district, where the hospital is located.
Dozens of tanks were positioned around the hospital building.
Intelligence information indicated that the clinic in the city of Gaza was being used by senior members of the Islamist Hamas to carry out terrorist activities, the Israeli army said.
The country's own troops had previously been instructed to proceed "cautiously" and to take measures to avoid damage to patients, civilians, medical personnel and medical equipment.
It is known that Hamas has regrouped in the hospital and is using it to command attacks against Israel, said Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari.
The army said there was no obligation for patients or medical staff to leave the hospital.
The US government also supported the Israeli claim that Hamas used the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip as a command center and weapons depot.
The Israeli military had already entered the Shifa Hospital in mid-November despite massive international criticism.
The army said it found a Hamas tunnel complex there.
Shifa Clinic director Mohammad Abu Salamia was arrested by the Israeli military at the end of November 2023.
Bundeswehr with relief flights at the weekend
According to aid organizations, the situation of the people in the Gaza Strip is becoming increasingly desperate.
According to the UN, there is a risk of a hunger crisis if aid deliveries by truck are not expanded.
Around 2.2 million people live in the Gaza Strip.
International pressure has been growing for weeks for Israel to allow more aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip.
The USA also announced that it would build a temporary port so that the area could be supplied with food and other goods from the sea.
However, since the construction will take several weeks, observers believe that dropping relief supplies from the air is urgently needed.
The German Air Force dropped food over Gaza on a second relief flight at the weekend.
According to military information, 4.4 tons of material were dropped on four pallets of parachutes.
Several other countries also had transport aircraft in use.
The Air Force has coordinated closely with France on the details of the mission, as the NATO partner already has experience with such flights.
In addition, the operation is closely coordinated with the Israeli military, as the airspace over Gaza is controlled by Israel.
jok/dpa