Israel uncovers Hamas tunnel at Al-Shifa Hospital; finds body of 65-year-old kidnapped during Oct 7 attack

Israeli soldiers as per reports have found a Hamas tunnel in Gaza’s biggest medical facility, the Al-Shifa Hospital, said the nation’s army. 

It has also released a video of the purported militant tunnel entrance that is reportedly located in an outdoor area of Al Shifa. Hamas has once again reiterated its refusal over the use of hospitals as hideouts and attack launch bases.

The Israeli military has released a series of videos on X (formerly Twitter) with the caption: “Exposing another layer of Hamas’ exploitation of three of the largest hospitals in Gaza.”

The Al Shifa hospital video shows a deep hole in the ground. The alleged tunnel could be seen littered with and surrounded by concrete, wood, rubble, and sand. 

A bulldozer could be seen in the background, which, as per Reuters, hints at an excavation.

IDF also said that it has found “a large number of weapons” in a vehicle at another one of Gaza’s main hospitals.

In subsequent posts, the Israeli ministry “showed” similar “terrorist tunnels” at the Rantisi Hospital and said that a large number of weaponry and ammunition were found at the Al Quds Hospital.

The Israeli military also said that it had recovered the body of a 65-year-old woman who, they say, was taken hostage by Hamas during the militant group’s initial attack on October 7.  

As per the Israeli military, the woman identified as Yehudit Weiss was abducted by Hamas from her home in Kibbutz Be’eri. It also said that her husband, Shmulik Weiss, was “murdered in their home” during the attack.

Weiss’ body was reportedly discovered in “a building adjacent to the Shifa Hospital in Gaza earlier today.” Along with her body, AK-47s, RPGs, and other military equipment were also found, said the IDF.

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos, and videos.

In a statement released late on Thursday, the Hamas labelled IDF’s repeated claims of its use of Al Shifa hospital a “false narrative”.

On Thursday, US White House Spokesperson John Kirby in a media briefing said that the Western nation’s own intelligence agencies have shown Hamas activities in the Al Shifa hospital. However, he said that the US will neither share nor elaborate.

Hamas said that the Pentagon and the US State Department’s claims are “a repetition of a blatantly false narrative, demonstrated by the weak and ridiculous performances of the occupation army spokesman.”