Israel raids Gaza’s main Nasser Hospital saying hostages there, as Rafah concerns grow
- The Israeli military said it had credible information Hamas was hiding in the facility, kept hostages there and the bodies of hostages may still be there
- A spokesperson for Hamas denied that, calling it ‘lies’
Israeli forces raided the biggest functioning hospital in Gaza, they said on Thursday, as video posted online showed chaos, shouting and the sound of shooting in darkened corridors that were filled with dust and smoke.
Israel’s military described its raid on Nasser Hospital as “precise and limited” and said it was based on credible information that Hamas was hiding in the facility, had kept hostages there and that bodies of hostages may still be there.
A spokesperson for Hamas denied that, calling it “lies”.
Health authorities in the Hamas-run enclave said Israel had forced out displaced people and families of medical staff sheltering in Nasser Hospital.
The war began on October 7 when Hamas sent fighters into Israel, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and seizing 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel’s air and ground offensive has since devastated tiny, crowded Gaza, killing more than 28,600 people, also mostly civilian, according to health authorities in the Hamas-run strip and forcing nearly all its inhabitants from their homes.
The UN humanitarian office had said on Wednesday that Nasser Hospital was besieged by Israeli forces with allegations of sniper fire at the facility, endangering the lives of doctors, patients and thousands of displaced people.