More Than Half of 800 Terror Suspects Caught in Gaza Hospital are Members of Hamas, Islamic Jihad

Jerusalem, 24 March, 2024 (TPS) -- Nearly one week into an Israeli raid on Gaza’s largest hospital, the Israel Defense Forces said it has detained 800 terror suspects, of whom 480 are confirmed members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Israel Defense Forces said on Sunday morning.

Since Monday morning, Israeli forces have killed over 140 terrorists inside the compound. Numerous suspects have already been transferred to Israel for further interrogation. Soldiers also seized weapons found inside the hospital.

Among the notable figures recently arrested are Hisham Tzarzur and Diab Tatar, senior officials in Hamas’s Gaza district emergency committees.

The military said 21-year-old Staff Sgt. Lior Raviv of Rishon LeZion was killed while fighting in the area of the  Shifa compound on Saturday.

As part of the operation, patients were moved to a designated area inside the Shifa compound for their safety.

The IDF said civilians and staff have not been harmed, nor has any medical equipment been damaged.

Israeli forces raided Shifa, Gaza’s largest hospital on Monday after receiving intelligence that senior Hamas figures were inside the compound planning attacks. Hamas terrorists fired from within the medical center as forces arrived.

As reported by the Tazpit Press Service, Hamas has made extensive use of the Shifa Hospital, launching rockets from its compound, hiding hostages in the bowels of the building, torturing collaborators, and digging tunnels connected to nearby sites. Israel also released a recording of a phone call confirming that Hamas also stores at least a half-million liters of fuel underneath the compound.

Meanwhile, in northern and central Gaza, Israeli fighter jets struck approximately 65 targets, including Hamas military compounds, a tunnel used to carry out attacks, and other terror infrastructure.

In central Gaza, troops identified and eliminated two terrorists in their area using sniper fire. Ground forces also located and conducted a targeted raid on a drone manufacturing laboratory belonging to terrorist organizations. The troops encountered terrorists outside of the compound and eliminated them.

In southern Gaza, IDF troops eliminated several terrorists by sniper fire. Engineering forces located and struck a launching pit and an aircraft guided by ground forces struck terrorist infrastructure.

In Khan Yunis, Gaza’s second-largest city, Israeli aircraft struck a Hamas compound.

At least 1,200 people were killed and 240 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the remaining 134 hostages, Israel recently declared 31 of them dead.