The director of Shifa Hospital in Gaza, along with three other health workers, are still being detained by Israeli forces, the World Health Organization said in a statement.
According to the WHO, on Wednesday, when they were attempting to evacuate 151 patients from the hospital, “three medical personnel from the Palestine Red Crescent Society and three from the Ministry of Health were detained.”
ANATOMY OF A DEAL: HOW THE ISRAEL-HAMAS HOSTAGE NEGOTIATIONS PLAYED OUT
Since then, “two of the six detained health workers have reportedly been released,” but the WHO said it does not have information about the “well-being” of the remaining detained staff or the director of Shifa Hospital.
The Israel Defense Forces said they detained the hospital director because they were “following evidence showing that the Shifa Hospital, under his direct management, served as a Hamas command and control center,” according to CNN.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“When we saw him, we decided to take him to ask why there was so much terrorist activity at his hospital, both above ground and below ground,” IDF international spokesman Lt. Col. Richard Hecht told the news outlet.
Israeli officials have claimed that Hamas operates a command and control base both within and underneath the hospital, which would constitute a war crime. Israeli forces raided the hospital last week and said they’ve found evidence that some of the hostages who were taken during the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks were transported through it to their underground tunnel network.
