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Israel’s army again in action at Shifa Hospital
March 18, 2024, 4:20 a.m
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Israel’s army launches another operation in the Shifa hospital. A Hamas command center is suspected to be in the largest clinic in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, Hamas is moving away from its maximum demands in negotiations for a ceasefire, and Israel is sending mediators to Qatar again.
The Israeli army says it is once again deployed in the area of the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. The army announced last night that a “precise” operation was currently being carried out on the site of the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip. We know from intelligence information that Hamas has regrouped in the hospital and is using it to command attacks against Israel, said Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari. Eyewitnesses reported to the AFP news agency about air strikes in the al-Rimal district, where the hospital is located, and tanks were positioned around the hospital.
Hagari said its troops had previously been instructed to proceed “cautiously” and take measures to avoid harm to patients, civilians, medical personnel and medical equipment. Patients and medical staff could remain in the hospital. The Israeli military had already entered the Shifa Hospital in mid-November despite massive international criticism. The army said it found a Hamas tunnel complex there.
Israel sends delegation to Doha
Meanwhile, there are signs that stalled talks on a temporary ceasefire could be making progress. Israel will take part in the indirect negotiations for the first time in weeks. The Israeli security cabinet has approved the departure of a delegation to Qatar, the Israeli news site Ynet reported. In Doha, mediators Qatar, Egypt and the USA are negotiating a temporary ceasefire and an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
The Islamist Hamas had previously presented a new proposal to the mediators. In it, Hamas no longer demands that Israel end its operation in the Gaza Strip before the first hostages are exchanged for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons. According to the proposal, the Islamists would make Israel’s cessation of hostilities a prerequisite for a second phase of hostage releases. In doing so, Hamas came closer to the contents of a multi-stage plan that the mediators had presented several weeks ago and which Israel had accepted.
Because Hamas has now moved, Israel is ready to take part in the indirect mediation talks in Qatar for the first time in two weeks. Israel and Hamas do not negotiate directly.