The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry has announced that Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) forces have withdrawn from Gaza’s Shifa hospital, two weeks after they launched a second assault on the hospital.
The IDF confirmed these reports to Fox News on Monday morning.
“IDF and ISA forces completed precise operational operations in the Shifa hospital area and exited the hospital area,” the IDF said. “Troops killed the terrorists in close-range combat while preventing harm to civilians, patients, and medical teams, and discovered numerous weapons and intelligence documents throughout the hospital.”
Witnesses told The Times of Israel that the military retreated under cover of airstrikes and artillery fire.
The Israel Defense Forces told Fox News: “Over the past day, IAF aircraft killed terrorists who posed an immediate threat to IDF forces, including a sniper who posed a threat to the forces, and IDF helicopters killed terrorists who posed an immediate threat to IDF forces. He was attacked and killed,” he said.
“In Khan Younis, IDF commando forces are operating in the Al-Amal region. The forces killed terrorists in close quarters combat, carried out targeted raids on terrorist infrastructure in the area, and killed a large number of terrorists. An arrest has been made. During the search, troops recovered a number of weapons, including explosives.”
The IDF military operation began on March 18 with what it called “precision” raids targeting terrorist leaders and infrastructure.
The military said more than 500 members of the terrorist group were captured during the operation at the medical center, and about 200 people were killed, including several top commanders. More than 900 suspects were detained for questioning and more than 6,000 civilians were evacuated from the compound during the operation, Israeli military radio GLZ Rado reported.
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Smoke rises during an Israeli attack near al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, March 28, 2024, as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues. (AFP/Getty Images)
About 350 patients and medical staff at Shifa Hospital were evacuated by the IDF to a “designated facility” in another part of the facility, where they were provided with humanitarian aid and supplies, The Times of Israel said.
A spokesman for the Hamas-run Gaza Civil Defense Organization tweeted that around 300 people were killed by the IDF at the medical center, including some who were handcuffed.
Shifa was one of the few medical facilities in northern Gaza that was even partially operational before the fighting.
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Ambulances carrying victims of an Israeli airstrike fill the entrance to the emergency ward at Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on October 15, 2023. (Photo by Dawood NEMER/AFP via Getty Images)
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The hospital also housed civilians forced from their homes amid the ongoing war between Israeli forces and Hamas terrorists.
International law states that medical facilities are protected areas in times of conflict, but lose that status if they are used for military activities.
Israeli officials said Hamas uses these facilities as a front for terrorist activities, and that Hamas receives humanitarian supplies for its fighters, which deprives civilians of aid.
FOX News’ Yael Kriel contributed to this article.
