In a strike late Wednesday night, the IDF and ISA struck a senior Hamas terrorist and additional terrorists from Hamas’ military wing while they were operating within Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip.
"The terrorists were targeted in an aerial strike to eliminate the threat they posed," the IDF explained, noting that Hamas "had established a presence within the hospital complex and used it as a command center for military and terrorist activities against IDF troops and the State of Israel."
The IDF emphasized that Hamas' activities constitute a blatant violation of international law and a cynical exploitation of civilian infrastructure: The terror group stored weapons within the hospital complex, and Hamas' internal security and intelligence services conducted interrogations and torture within the hospital complex.
Hamas also operated command-and-control rooms from within the hospital complex, and used hospital facilities as observation posts and shelters for terrorists.
"The IDF and the ISA strongly condemn the Hamas terrorist organization’s cynical exploitation of civilian and medical infrastructure for military purposes, while endangering the lives of patients, medical personnel, and civilians," the military added. "Prior to and during the strike, steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precision munitions and aerial surveillance."
