Israeli Forces Eliminate 200 Hamas Militants in Gaza Hospital Raid

Israeli military operations against Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants in Gaza City's Shifa Hospital and Khan Yunis continued, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Intelligence indicated that senior Hamas members were using the hospital to plan attacks, prompting Israel's return to the compound on March 18. Since then, over 200 militants have been killed and 800 suspects detained, with at least 500 confirmed as Hamas or Islamic Jihad members.

Patients were relocated within the Shifa compound for safety as part of the operation, with no reported harm to civilians or staff. The IDF disclosed that within the hospital, Hamas had set up a small administration center involving government ministries like education, interior, treasury, and police. Israeli forces intervened just as Hamas was about to disburse salaries to its officials, ranging from $200 to hundreds of dollars.

In Khan Yunis, operations targeted terror infrastructure in the Al Amal and Al Qarara neighborhoods, resulting in the seizure of explosives and mortar shells. In central Gaza, an aerial strike eliminated a Hamas unit spotted near Israeli forces. Additionally, fighter jets targeted tunnel shafts and an underground rocket launcher elsewhere in Gaza.