Israeli Military Officials Say Operations at Al-Shifa Hospital Can Be Expanded If Necessary

Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, Palestine. (Wikimedia Commons/Palestinian News & Information Agency (Wafa) in contact with APAimages)

JAKARTA - An unnamed Israeli security official said the Israeli military knew exactly what they were doing at Al-Shifa Hospital, with operations there able to be expanded if necessary.

"We are starting small, and this operation will be expanded if necessary," the official told Army Radio, reported by The Times of Israel, November 15.

"The entry of troops into Al-Shifa is more of a challenge for the media than an operation," he continued.

"The decision is, we enter Al-Shifa only when we know exactly what is there and where it is located, as we did at Rantisi Hospital, which was only (raided) when we knew exactly what was in its basement," the official continued.

Meanwhile, an official from the Hamas-run health ministry who was inside the hospital, Youssef Abul Reesh, said he saw Israeli tanks inside the compound, while dozens of soldiers and commandos were inside the emergency unit and meeting room.

Israel believes some of the roughly 240 hostages in Gaza may be held in a maze of tunnels and houses beneath a Hamas hospital.

As previously reported, the Israeli military said its troops carried out an operation at Al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza City, Palestine with precision and measurability to hunt down the Hamas militant group and free the hostages.

The Israeli military (IDF) said its troops' operation at the largest hospital in Gaza was carried out with precision and on target.

It was said that the troops who entered the hospital also consisted of medical teams and Arabic speakers who had undergone special training. to avoid losses.

"We call on all Hamas terrorists who are in hospital to surrender," the IDF said in a statement.

An IDF spokesman said it had no intention of taking control of the hospital, stressing its aim was to defeat Hamas and rescue hostages.

"Our goal is to bring (the hostages) home. Our goal is to find Hamas wherever they are hiding," Lt. Col. Peter Lerner told CNN.