Israel finds weapons and signs of hostages at Gaza hospital

Military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the military found a command center with an arsenal of grenades, suicide vests and other explosives stored by Hamas militants in the basement of Rantissi Hospital, a children's hospital that specializes in treating cancer patients.

Israel finds remains of hostages in Gaza hospital, photo 1 — The Israeli military shared video and images showing what it said were weapons stored by Hamas in the basement of a children's hospital in Gaza. Photo: Israeli military.

“And we also found signs that Hamas took hostages here… That is currently under investigation by us. But we also have intelligence that confirms that,” he said in a televised news conference.

Mr. Hagari showed video of what appeared to be rudimentary living quarters, including a small kitchen, as well as a nearby tunnel shaft that he said led to the home of a senior Hamas naval commander. “Hamas has taken control of this entire area and is waging war against the Israelis from this hospital,” he said.

Separately, the Israeli military said it had found a bullet-riddled motorcycle that he said appeared to have been used to ferry hostages to Gaza after the surprise attack on October 7 when Hamas gunmen stormed into southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 240 hostages.

On Monday, Israeli tanks were positioned outside the gates of Al Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s main hospital, where hundreds of patients were still waiting to be evacuated. Israel has accused Hamas of using hospitals and other civilian infrastructure to conceal command centers and weapons positions, as well as using civilians and hospital patients as human shields.

Hamas and Gaza hospital authorities have denied that medical facilities are being used in this way. Meanwhile, the United Nations continues to call for a halt to attacks on health care facilities in Gaza. Israel says it is allowing patients and civilians to be evacuated.

Huy Hoang (according to Reuters)

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