In a development on Sunday, the Israeli army officially announced the conclusion of its military operation at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis city, located in the southern Gaza Strip.
The military released a statement asserting that unused sealed medicines, bearing the names of Israeli hostages, were seized during the raid on the hospital.
According to the military statement, approximately 200 “terrorists” and suspects were apprehended, and a significant quantity of weapons was confiscated during the operation. Notably, there has been no response from Hamas regarding the Israeli army’s statement.
The Israeli forces initiated the raid on the medical facility on February 15 after a prolonged siege, prompting thousands of displaced Palestinians within the hospital to flee amidst intense Israeli bombardment.
Last week, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported the deaths of eight patients at the hospital due to a lack of oxygen during the Israeli raid on the medical complex.
Since an October 7 Hamas attack, Israel has relentlessly targeted the Gaza Strip, resulting in the death of over 29,690 Palestinians, injuries to nearly 70,000 individuals, and widespread destruction and shortages. In response, nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have lost their lives in the Hamas attack.
The Israeli military offensive in Gaza has led to 85% of the territory’s population facing internal displacement, coupled with acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine. Moreover, the UN reports that 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has suffered damage or destruction.
Notably, Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice. In an interim ruling in January, the court ordered Tel Aviv to cease genocidal acts and take measures to ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza.