Hailey Tran
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have long suspected that Hamas, a terrorist group, was using the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza as its headquarters. During the 2008-2009 Gaza War, The New York Times reported that armed Hamas militants in civilian clothes were present in the hospital. In 2023, the IDF raided the hospital and claimed to have found weapons and evidence of Hamas tunnels, but journalists and humanitarian organizations disputed this, stating that Israel had not presented convincing evidence of a large-scale Hamas headquarters. The dispute highlights the challenging nature of verifying claims during conflicts and the potential for misinformation and propaganda to influence public perception.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is Hamas headquarters under a hospital? | There are conflicting reports. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claim Hamas has been using Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City as its headquarters, citing evidence of an underground tunnel network. However, Hamas and hospital administrators deny these claims, and independent journalists and humanitarian organizations have stated that evidence is not convincing enough. |
| Hamas' history with hospitals | Hamas has a history of placing military assets inside and below civilian sites, including hospitals. They have been accused of using hospitals as cover and human shields, which would constitute war crimes. |
| International response | International humanitarian law prohibits the targeting of hospitals unless there is evidence of military use that is "harmful to the enemy". Amnesty International has stated that it has seen no credible evidence of Hamas using Al-Shifa Hospital as a command center. |
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What You'll Learn
Israel claims Hamas uses Al-Shifa Hospital as a base
Al-Shifa Hospital, established by the government of Mandatory Palestine in 1946, is a government-run hospital in Gaza City, Palestine. During the Gaza war, Israel, supported by the United States, claimed that Hamas was using the hospital as a command center. On November 15, 2023, Israeli forces raided the hospital, where thousands of Palestinians were taking shelter. The Israeli raid was widely criticized, and Israel was accused by several news outlets, including Al Jazeera, of waging a propaganda war and releasing doctored videos.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed to have found weaponry in the hospital as well as "concrete evidence" that Hamas used Al-Shifa as a terror headquarters. They also released footage of what they claimed was a Hamas tunnel network under the hospital. However, multiple news agencies, including Amnesty International, concluded that the evidence did not demonstrate the use of the hospital by Hamas as a command center. Amnesty International stated that they had "not seen any credible evidence to support Israel's claim that al-Shifa is housing a military command center".
Several reports by Israeli officials alleged that Hamas used Al-Shifa Hospital as a bunker and refuge, knowing it would be spared by airstrikes. During the 2008-2009 Gaza War, The New York Times reported that "armed Hamas militants in civilian clothes roved the halls" killing alleged collaborators. In 2009, the Palestinian Health Ministry accused Hamas members of taking control of wards in Shifa Hospital. During the 2014 Gaza War, journalists and authors described the hospital as the de facto headquarters of Hamas.
Hamas and hospital administrators have denied the allegations, with Hamas official Izzat al-Risheq stating that there was no truth to the claims. Dr. Erik Fosse, who worked at the hospital during the war, found no evidence that it was a Hamas base. Norwegian doctor Mads Gilbert, who also worked at the hospital, rejected that it was used as a base by Hamas officials or militants.
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Hamas denies the allegations
Hamas has denied allegations that it uses Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Palestine, as its headquarters, claiming that there is no truth to the accusations. The hospital, which was first established by the government of Mandatory Palestine in 1946, has been at the centre of allegations by Israel and the United States, who stated that Hamas was using the hospital as a "main operations base." However, Hamas officials, including Izzat al-Risheq, have refuted these claims, stating that the group does not use the hospital as a shield for its underground military structures.
During the 2008-2009 Gaza War, reports emerged alleging that Hamas militants in civilian clothes were present in the halls of Al-Shifa Hospital. These reports, however, were difficult to confirm due to Israel's ban on reporters from Gaza at the time. While some journalists and authors described the hospital as the de facto headquarters of Hamas during the 2014 Gaza War, others, such as Jeremy Bowen of BBC News, noted a lack of convincing evidence to support these claims.
Following Israel's release of video evidence in November 2023, allegedly showing Hamas tunnels under the hospital, multiple news agencies and humanitarian organisations, including Amnesty International, concluded that the evidence did not demonstrate the use of the hospital as a command centre by Hamas. The footage released by the IDF showed a tunnel shaft and an entrance to an "underground facility," but it was not conclusive proof of Hamas's presence. Furthermore, the head of the World Health Organization condemned the November raid on the hospital as "totally unacceptable," highlighting the concerns about the impact on civilian patients and medical staff.
While Israel has maintained that Hamas leaders exploit the protected status of hospitals, Hamas has a long history of placing military assets inside and below civilian sites, including hospitals. This has resulted in hospitals becoming targets during conflicts, which is prohibited by international law unless there is evidence of harmful military activity. However, in the specific case of Al-Shifa Hospital, Hamas has consistently denied using it as a base or headquarters, and the evidence presented so far has not provided a definitive conclusion.
Hamas officials have refuted the allegations, stating that there is no truth to the claims that Al-Shifa Hospital is being used as a shield for their underground operations. They argue that Israel is waging a propaganda war and that the presence of Hamas officials or militants within a hospital does not necessarily indicate its use as a headquarters. The debate surrounding the allegations highlights the complexities of the situation, where hospitals become caught between the crossfire of conflicting parties.
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Evidence of Hamas tunnels under the hospital
In late October 2023, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement claiming that Hamas had been operating under Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital, using the thousands of patients, doctors, and staff as shields for their underground headquarters. The Israeli government had "strong indications" that hostages were in Al-Shifa. The hospital, established by the government of Mandatory Palestine in 1946, has been described by journalists and authors as the de facto headquarters of Hamas.
During the 2008–2009 Gaza War, The New York Times reported that "armed Hamas militants in civilian clothes roved the halls" killing alleged collaborators. Several reports by Israeli Shin Bet officials alleged that Hamas used Al-Shifa hospital as a bunker and refuge, knowing it would be spared by airstrikes. The Israeli allegations were difficult to confirm because Israel had banned reporters from Gaza at the time. During the Gaza war, Israel and the United States stated that Hamas was using the hospital as a command center. On 15 November 2023, Israeli forces raided the hospital, where thousands of Palestinians were taking shelter.
On 19 November 2023, the IDF released footage of what it claimed to be a Hamas tunnel network under the hospital. The footage showed a tunnel shaft with a winding staircase approximately three meters deep, continuing for seven meters down until it reached part of a tunnel network. The New York Times verified the existence of a tunnel entrance on the perimeter of the hospital complex, although they did not enter due to fears of booby traps. The BBC also verified footage of the tunnel network under the European hospital in southern Gaza, where the Israeli army claimed to have found the body of Hamas leader in Gaza, Mohammed Sinwar.
However, the evidence presented by Israel has been met with skepticism by some journalists and organizations. Jeremy Bowen, BBC News' international editor, noted that journalists were working under the Israeli military, and the evidence produced was not convincing enough to prove that "this was a nerve center for the Hamas operation". CNN analysis suggested that Israel had rearranged the weaponry before allowing the press into the hospital. Following Israel's release of video evidence, multiple news agencies and Amnesty International concluded that the evidence did not demonstrate the use by Hamas of a command center. Izzat al-Risheq, a Hamas official, denied that the group used the hospital as a shield for its underground military structures.
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International law prohibits targeting hospitals
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have accused Hamas of using Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City as a base for terrorist activities. The IDF claims that Hamas has been using the hospital to shield its underground headquarters and store weapons. However, Hamas and hospital administrators have denied these allegations, and there has been no convincing evidence presented to support the claims. International law prohibits targeting hospitals, as it is a war crime. The law distinguishes between combatants and civilians and seeks to minimise civilian casualties and suffering. It also imposes restrictions on the methods and means of conflict, prohibiting certain weapons and protecting prisoners of war, wounded soldiers, and other non-combatants.
Al-Shifa Hospital, established in 1946, is a government-run hospital in Gaza City, Palestine, with most of its staff employed by the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. During the Gaza War, Israel, supported by the United States, accused Hamas of using the hospital as a command center. On November 15, 2023, the IDF raided the hospital, trading fire with Palestinian terrorists and killing at least five Palestinians at the hospital gates. The raid was widely criticised, and Israel was accused of causing civilian deaths and waging a propaganda war.
Following the raid, Israel released video evidence of Hamas tunnels under the hospital. However, multiple news agencies and Amnesty International concluded that the evidence did not prove the existence of a Hamas command center. The head of the World Health Organization called the raid "totally unacceptable," and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights called for an independent investigation.
International humanitarian law prohibits the targeting of hospitals unless there is evidence of military use that is "harmful to the enemy." The use of human shields is also prohibited and constitutes a war crime. While the IDF has presented some evidence of Hamas weapons and tunnels, the extent of Hamas's use of the hospital as a base remains disputed.
The mixed media perception and the lack of independent scrutiny inside the hospital make it difficult to confirm the allegations. Some journalists and authors have described the hospital as the de facto headquarters of Hamas during the 2014 Gaza War. However, others have stated that the evidence is not convincing enough to prove a large-scale Hamas presence. The bombing of hospitals and other civilian infrastructure in the Israel-Hamas conflict has raised concerns about violations of international law and the need for accountability.
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Israel accused of waging a propaganda war
During the 2023 Gaza War, Israel, supported by the United States, claimed that Hamas was using Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City as a command centre, with its leaders hiding in the basement. However, Hamas and hospital administrators denied these allegations, and international journalists and humanitarian organisations stated that Israel had not presented convincing evidence to support its claims. Amnesty International, for example, stated that it had "not seen any credible evidence" that Al-Shifa was housing a military command centre.
Israel has been accused of spreading misinformation and waging a propaganda war during the conflict. This includes allegations that Israel used AI tools, bot farms, and social media to spread disinformation, dehumanise Palestinians, and exert pressure on politicians to support its actions. Israel has also been accused of causing the deaths of civilians being treated at Al-Shifa, including prematurely born babies.
In response to these accusations, Israel has asserted that Hamas was using the hospital as a shield for its underground military structures and tunnel networks, exploiting its protected status. Israel further warned that Hamas leaders were disguising themselves in medical attire within the hospital.
The conflict has been characterised by a deluge of online propaganda and disinformation, with Israel, Russia, China, and Iran all accused of spreading misinformation and manipulating media narratives. For instance, Israel promoted false claims that babies were beheaded in the Hamas assault, while Hamas shared a video supposedly of Ukraine supplying them with weapons.
The United Nations has also accused Israel of spreading misinformation about the war in an attempt to lower the credibility of the UN. UNRWA spokesperson Tamara Alrifai stated that Israel had fed into a false narrative of UNRWA being a Hamas front, despite repeated debunking of such claims.
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Frequently asked questions
There is no consensus on whether Hamas headquarters are under a hospital. Israel has accused Hamas of using Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza as a base, with Hamas militants and leaders hiding in the basement and using tunnels underneath the hospital. However, Hamas and hospital administrators have denied these claims, and independent organizations like Amnesty International and the BBC have stated that evidence presented by Israel does not prove the existence of a Hamas command center at the hospital.
Israel has presented various forms of evidence to support its claims that Hamas was using Al-Shifa Hospital as a base. This includes video evidence of Hamas tunnels under the hospital, footage of weapons and Hamas militants within the hospital, and classified Israeli intelligence documents detailing the extent of the tunnel network.
The evidence presented by Israel has been scrutinized and criticized by various news organizations and independent observers. For example, the BBC analyzed a video presented by the IDF and found that it had been edited to include more weapons than were originally shown. Amnesty International and other news agencies have also stated that the evidence presented does not prove the existence of a Hamas command center at the hospital.
Hamas has a long history of placing military assets inside and below civilian sites, including hospitals. For example, during the 2014 Gaza War, journalists reported that Hamas was using Al-Shifa Hospital as its de facto headquarters, and footage from the same year showed Hamas launching rockets from the premises of al-Wafa Hospital in Gaza City.
The international community, including the United States and the European Union, has generally supported Israel's claims and defended its operations. However, there have also been calls for independent investigations and scrutiny of Israel's actions, particularly regarding potential violations of international law and the targeting of hospitals, which is prohibited by international humanitarian law unless there is evidence of military use.
