The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) arrested Mohammed Abu Selemya, the director of Gaza’s Al-Shifa Hospital, along with several staff members, as Israel continues bombardment on Gaza.
Authorities in Gaza on Monday said the death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7 has jumped to over 13,300.
In a statement, the Gaza-based government media office said the death toll includes 5,600 children and 3,550 women.
It added that the death toll also includes 201 medical staff, 22 members of civil defense rescue teams, and 60 journalists.
Thousands of buildings, including hospitals, mosques, and churches, have also been damaged or destroyed in Israel’s air and ground attacks on the besieged enclave.
The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, is around 1,200, according to official figures
Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical facility in the besieged enclave, has been a focal point of the Israeli military operation launched on October 27.
The IDF alleges that Hamas operates a command center beneath Al-Shifa, using the medical complex as a base with multiple tunnel entry points.
Despite the IDF’s claims, both the Hamas militant group and the Palestinian Health Ministry, along with hospital authorities, have consistently denied the allegations.
The IDF asserts that hostages captured by Hamas on October 7 were held in tunnels beneath the hospital.
This development occurs after a four-day humanitarian pause in fighting, agreed upon by both Hamas and Israel, faced delays.
The proposed pause involves the release of 50 hostages from Gaza by Hamas and the freeing of 150 Palestinian detainees by Israel in the first phase.
The complex dynamics of the conflict continue to unfold amidst these ongoing developments.
