Israeli commandos raid South Gaza's largest hospital in hunt for kidnapped Hamas hostages… or their bodies

ISRAELI soldiers stormed Gaza's main hospital today amid reports that the bodies of murdered Hamas hostages are being held there.

IDF commanders said they had “credible evidence” that the dead civilians were being held in a besieged hospital in Khan Younis.

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Patients and staff at the hospital in southern Gaza were urged to flee before special forces stormed the building.

IDF troops were forced to search the hospital morgue in their grim search for dead hostages.

IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said the army carried out a “precise and limited” operation at the hospital.

He added: “Since the Hamas massacre on October 7, the IDF has been active in fulfilling its mission of dismantling Hamas and bringing our hostages home.

“Unfortunately, we know that some hostages are no longer alive. We are committed to finding and returning the bodies of these hostages in Gaza.”

The IDF has confirmed the deaths of 31 hostages held by the terror group, including the bodies of two soldiers held since 2014.

Hagari added: “We are conducting precise rescue operations – as we have done in the past – where our intelligence indicates that the bodies of hostages may be held.

“As has been proven with Shifa Hospital, Rantisi Hospital, Al Amal Hospital and many other hospitals in Gaza, Hamas systematically uses hospitals as terror centers.”

Israeli Defense Force intelligence assessments have found that more than 85% of “major medical facilities” in Gaza have been used by Hamas for terror activities.

IDF commandos are also said to have arrested several terror suspects as their operation got underway.

Hagari said: “Because Hamas terrorists are probably currently hiding behind injured civilians in Nasser Hospital and appear to have used the hospital to hide our hostages there as well.

“This sensitive operation was prepared with precision and is being carried out by IDF special forces who have undergone specific training.

“A key objective as defined by our military mission is to ensure that Nasser Hospital continues its important function of treating Gazan patients.
“We have communicated this in a number of conversations with hospital staff in recent days.

“We emphasized that there is no obligation for patients or staff to evacuate the hospital.

However, we have urged other Gazans, in Arabic, on the phone and through loudspeakers, to escape the danger Hamas is placing them in – through a humanitarian corridor we have opened for this purpose.

Hagari said the search came after the IDF sent medical supplies, oxygen tanks and fuel for electricity to the hospital.

He added: “We do not seek to harm innocent civilians. We're trying to find our hostages and bring them home. We are trying to track down Hamas terrorists wherever they are hiding.”

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