Gaza Health Official Confirms Hamas Hoarding Fuel Underneath Hospital

Jerusalem, 3 November, 2023 (TPS) -- A Gaza health official revealed that Hamas is hoarding fuel and has stored more than a half-million liters of it under the Shifa Hospital. The Israel Defense Forces released a recording of the call on Friday morning, raising concerns that Hamas intends to seize further fuel deliveries.

“Hamas controls the diesel,” the health official tells the officer in the recording.

“Both of us know what is under the hospitals,” the officer says.

“My friend, let’s not talk about Shifa. May God curse Shifa, the health official replies.

The officer suggests that Israel could provide fuel for Shifa, “but if I bring [fuel] to the hospital right now, they will take it. Don’t you agree with me?”

“My friend, you are completely right,” the Palestinian responds.

Israel released aerial photos of Hamas storage tanks in the southern Gaza Strip near the Egyptian border containing at least a half-million liters of fuel on Oct. 25.

The Shifa Hospital, located in the North Rimal neighborhood and boasting 570 beds, is Gaza’s largest medical center, serving the medical needs of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.

As reported by the Tazpit Press Service, Hamas makes extensive use of the hospital. Knowing that Israel would not dare attack a hospital during a war, Hamas leaders hide there, launch rockets from its compound, hide hostages in the bowels of the building, torture collaborators, and dig tunnels connecting Shifa to nearby sites.