In mid-November, troops from the Israel Defense Forces discovered a 180-foot-long tunnel beneath the Al-Shifa Hospital complex. Israel’s military raided the medical facility on Sunday, claiming that terrorists from Hamas were using it as a command center for attacks on Israel. Israel Defense Forces/UPI photo

March 17 (UPI) — Palestinian health officials report that Israeli forces raided the al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City overnight, leaving an unknown number of people dead.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced on its official Telegram channel that “martyrs and wounded have fallen” and that the medical facility was under siege as of Monday morning at around two in the morning local time.

It claimed that artillery and firearms were being used by Israeli forces to target the building housing the specialized surgeries. There were military vehicles in the courtyards of the hospital. It stated that during the raid, about 30,000 displaced people, patients, and staff were present.

A fire started as a result of the attack.

It said, “Everyone who tries to move is targeted by quadcopters and sniper bullets.”

The attack was first announced by the Israel Defense Forces, whose spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, referred to it as a “high-precision operation.” He made the claim in a recorded statement that the military possessed “concrete intelligence that demanded immediate action,” referring to the fact that senior Hamas militants were inside the hospital and planned to use it as a base of operations against Israel.

Following their joint statement, the Israel Security Agency and the IDF explained that the fighting started when militants inside the hospital opened fire on Israeli troops.

According to the two agencies, “the troops responded with live fire and hits were identified.” “We’re still operating our troops around the hospital.”

Four hours later, it released another statement claiming that its troops had discovered “terrorist fire” originating from multiple hospital buildings.

The IDF spokesperson for Arab-language media, Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee, has ordered residents living close to the hospital to evacuate.

It looks like there is still fighting.

Hagari had stated that although patients and medical personnel shouldn’t have to leave the hospital, a route should be set up to allow them to do so. He also stated that the raid wouldn’t stop the hospital from operating.

He clarified that his soldiers had received specialized training for the undertaking. He said that IDF doctors would be sent to help those in need, and that Arabic speakers would be stationed to interact with patients and hospital workers. Troops would also be bringing food, water, and other supplies.

He declared, “Our targeted mission is a global imperative, not just an operational necessity.” “We will carry out this operation with caution and care because we do not intend to cause harm to the civilians that Hamas is hiding behind.”

The raid was denounced by the Palestinian Ministry of Health as a “blatant violation of international humanitarian law.” The Geneva Convention provides protection against attacks against hospitals and other medical facilities.

The health ministry released a statement saying, “The Israeli military offensive’s goal is to continue destroying the health system in northern Gaza.”

“We demand that Israeli occupation practices against the Medical Healing Complex and Gaza Hospitals be rejected by the international community.”

Tens of thousands of Palestinians who were forced to flee their homes due to Israel’s war against Hamas have found refuge in Gaza’s largest hospital.

Its ability to function has been hindered by the lack of medical supplies during the war.

The IDF announced in mid-November that it had found beneath the hospital’s complex a system of fortified tunnels used by Hamas.