JERUSALEM, Israel — The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released a video Monday night showing evidence that the Palestinian Hamas terror organization used the Al-Rantisi Hospital for Children in western Gaza to house weapons and perhaps hostages.
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the IDF spokesman, visited the site of the hospital and showed that it was near the home of a Hamas naval commando leader, which was also close to a school, putting both of those civilian sites in danger. Hagari also showed a tunnel next to the commando leader’s house, which was supplied with electricity from solar panels. Hagari noted that the IDF was using robots to probe the tunnel and had already found that it led to a bulletproof door that was reinforced against explosions.
Inside the hospital, Hagari showed a cache of Hamas weapons found in the hospital. “This kind of gear is gear for a major fight. These are explosives,” Hagari said, noting that the dangerous items were stored among patients and children. In addition, Hagari showed evidence that Israeli hostages were likely held in the hospital basement: a motorcycle riddled with bullets; a chair with a rope, women’s clothes, and a baby bottle; and an improvised toilet, along with diapers. (Hamas is known to hold at least 30 child hostages, including several infants.)
There was also an improvised ventilation system; and a room in which a curtain had been placed against a blank wall, suggesting that the room had been used for filming hostages. There was also a log of guard duty shifts.
Hagari, in a briefing to reporters about the video, said Hamas was guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
LIVE with IDF spokesperson exposing Hanas infrastructure https://t.co/DwjswumeSZ
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 13, 2023
Israel has long maintained that Hamas uses the larger Shifa Hospital in Gaza City as a headquarters. Israel has been helping to evacuate that hospital while fighting Hamas terrorists in the vicinity, with the hope of eventually entering Hamas headquarters.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of the new biography, Rhoda: ‘Comrade Kadalie, You Are Out of Order’. He is also the author of the recent e-book, Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
