Israeli Army Claims 358 Hamas and Islamic Jihad Members Arrested at Shifa Hospital

Daniel Hagari, spokesperson for the Israeli army, said on Thursday that Israeli forces have arrested hundreds of Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants, including security officials and military commanders, during an operation at Shifa Hospital. According to the Israeli army, hundreds of Palestinian militants have been killed in the recent clashes at this hospital, and over 500 suspects, including 358 members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, have been arrested. The Israeli army's Persian-language account also stated on Friday, sharing a photo of the detainees at Shifa Hospital: "Terrorists are still in Shifa Hospital, and we ask them to surrender - and if they do not surrender, we will fight them." This is the largest operation to arrest Palestinian militants since the beginning of Israel's offensive in Gaza aimed at destroying Hamas. Daniel Hagari stated that special units of the Israeli army used "deception tactics" to surprise Palestinian militants and dealt severe blows to Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Among the detainees are three senior Islamic Jihad commanders and several Hamas officials, including two operations heads in the West Bank. The Israeli army spokesperson added that those militants who continued to fight instead of surrendering were killed. Shifa Hospital, the largest hospital in Gaza before the offensive, is now one of the few medical centers still operational in northern Gaza. Clashes between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian militants at Shifa Hospital began early Monday morning when Israeli forces entered the hospital. The Israeli army claims that Shifa Hospital is connected to a network of underground tunnels used by Palestinian militants. Israel also attacked Shifa Hospital late last November, and its soldiers discovered tunnels that they claimed were used as Hamas command and control centers. Despite evidence and documentation released by the Israeli army, Hamas denies using this hospital for military purposes or sheltering its militants. Following the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the kidnapping of over 250 others, Israel launched an offensive in Gaza aimed at destroying this Islamist group supported by the Islamic Republic. This offensive has displaced the majority of the 2.3 million population of Gaza, who are in urgent need of food and other necessities. Despite the devastating consequences of Hamas's terrorist attack on Israel, officials from this Islamist group have repeatedly emphasized that they will carry out similar attacks again if able. Hamas, without mentioning the number of its members killed as a result of the Israeli offensive in Gaza, claims that nearly 32,000 Palestinians living in Gaza have been killed and about 73,000 others injured. The Persian section of Voice of America cannot independently verify or confirm the statistics provided by Hamas. Meanwhile, Israel has repeatedly emphasized that Hamas uses Palestinian civilians as human shields. The United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan, Israel, and several other countries have listed Hamas as a terrorist organization. The U.S. military continues to provide aid to Gaza civilians, sending over 50,000 food packages from the air on Thursday. Blinken: The gaps between Israel and Hamas are narrowing, but serious challenges remain. Blinken's meeting with bin Salman in Jeddah; the U.S. submitted a draft resolution for an "immediate ceasefire" in Gaza to the Security Council. Israeli army: 140 armed men were killed in the attack on Shifa Hospital. The Islamic Resistance of Iraq claimed to have attacked electrical facilities in Tel Aviv, Israel. European leaders called for a "sustainable ceasefire" in Gaza; Israel: We are determined to control Rafah. Netanyahu held a virtual meeting with a group of Republican senators; John Kirby: Support for Israel is a bipartisan issue. Cameron: Stopping the conflict in Gaza is essential for the release of hostages. The Israeli Defense Minister will visit Washington next week; a potential attack on Rafah will be the focus of discussions.