It should be common knowledge by now that the Hamas deliberately uses hospitals, schools, and mosques as bases and shelters for their terrorist network.
Evidence was found beneath the Rantisi hospital that not only were Hamas weapons stored there. Whether hostages were also suspected to be concealed there, who were abducted on the seventh of October, will be clarified by DNA testing
Nevertheless, the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) must be particularly careful at this time – in accordance with international law and to avoid further international support loss, military operations in and around hospitals should only be conducted in cases of acute danger, taking into account the protection of all non-combatants.
Israel sends aid supplies to hospital in Gaza
In recent days, the Israeli Defense Forces have taken measures to facilitate assistance to the hospital. Separate flight paths have been opened, several conversations have been held with the hospital management, and even incubators, oxygen, and other aid supplies have been quickly procured from Israel – at the request of the hospital management.
Despite all these efforts and the fact that there are also Arabic-speaking and medically trained soldiers on board, the IDF cannot guarantee that everything will go smoothly here. The main reason for this is that this is an asymmetric war. The IDF is doing everything to protect non-combatants, while Hamas is doing the exact opposite.
In recent days, the Defense Forces have released conversations that clearly show that Hamas is using ambulances to transport their own members and especially their leaders out of the danger zone.
This would mean that terrorists will consciously be present in hospitals alongside patients. And since they do not wear uniforms in such cases, the distinction between perpetrators and innocents is practically impossible.
Hamas headquarters under the Shifa Hospital presumably empty by now
Nevertheless, it is assumed that in the coming days, the terrorist infrastructure as well as the Hamas headquarters, allegedly located beneath the Shifa Hospital, will be discovered. Unfortunately, most, if not all, of the important Hamas commanders and abductees will probably no longer be on-site.
They are also supposed to be in southern Gaza and have, of course, used the humanitarian corridors opened by the IDF for civilians for days, as well as ambulances. While an important war goal would be achieved with Gaza city being under Israeli control by this final step, what happens next?
Because almost the entire population of the Gaza Strip is now in the south, including all Hamas commanders and (most) hostages.
And what should be the next course of action there? The problem: In the south, there are more people than ever before. Searching for and finding individuals there, without harming innocents, will be practically impossible.
We can only hope that after the release of 53 hostages in exchange for a ceasefire, the remaining approximately 200 Israelis will also return soon.
