Hamas says it holds Israel, Biden responsible for hospital raid

The Palestinian group Hamas accused both Israel and US President Joe Biden of responsibility for the apparent attack on the Al-Shifa hospital site.

“We hold the occupation [Israel] and President Biden wholly responsible for the assault on the Al-Shifa medical complex,” Hamas said in a statement.

Hamas alleged that US government comments about the hospital being used for military purposes gave the “green light” to Israel to attack.

“The adoption by the White House and the Pentagon of [Israel’s] false claim that the resistance is using the Al-Shifa medical complex for military ends has given the green light to the occupation to commit more massacres against civilians,” Hamas said in a statement.

The White House had said late on Tuesday that it had intelligence suggesting Hamas was using the hospital. In the early hours of Wednesday morning, Israel’s military said it had launched an operation at the site.

However, US officials, including the president, had simultaneously recommended restraint from Israel on Tuesday, with Biden urging Israel to take “less intrusive action” at the hospital. 

Israeli military announces ‘targeted operation’ at major hospital

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) military said early on Wednesday that its forces “are carrying out a precise and targeted operation against Hamas in a specified area in the Shifa Hospital, based on intelligence information and an operational necessity.”

This follows several days of fighting at or near the hospital site, and conflicting claims about whether or not the facility is used by Hamas fighters. 

The US on Tuesday had issued similar comments to Israel’s, saying it had evidence of a Hamas “command and control node” at the Al-Shifa hospital site, where it believed weapons were also likely being stored.

Hospital officials and Hamas dispute these allegations and have complained of dire conditions at the hospital.