Israeli commandos raid biggest hospital in south Gaza in hunt for kidnapped Hamas hostages… or their bodies
ISRAELI soldiers stormed Gaza's biggest hospital today amid reports that the bodies of murdered Hamas hostages are being kept there.
IDF Commanders said they had “credible evidence” that dead civilians were being held at a besieged hospital after they were snatched during Hamas' October 7 massacre.
Patients and staff at the hospital in southern Gaza were urged to flee before special forces teams poured into the building.
IDF troops were then forced to scour the morgue at Nasser hospital in their grim search for dead hostages.
The daring Israeli commandos also arrested several terror suspects during their raid.
IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said today the military had conducted a “precise and limited” operation inside the hospital.
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He added: “Since the Hamas massacre of October 7th, the IDF has been operating to fulfil its mission of dismantling Hamas and bringing our hostages home.
“Sadly, we know that some hostages are no longer alive. We are committed to finding and returning the bodies of those hostages in Gaza."
The IDF has confirmed the deaths of 31 hostages held by the terror group, including the bodies of two soldiers held since 2014.
And Netanyahu's forces have previously revealed Hamas HQ bases buried under hospitals where the terror group run their brutal operation.
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Hagari added: “We conduct precise rescue operations - as we have in the past - where our intelligence indicates that the bodies of hostages may be held.
“As was proven with the Shifa Hospital, Rantisi Hospital, Al Amal Hospital, and many other hospitals across Gaza, Hamas systematically uses hospitals as terror hubs.”
IDF intelligence reports say over 85% of “major medical facilities” in Gaza have been used by the terror group.
When Hamas attacked Israel last year, they killed around 1,200 people and kidnapped 250 others.
Over 100 of those hostages were freed during the only brief ceasefire in November, and Israel says over 130 remain in captivity.
The hostages that Israel have said are now dead are thought to have either been murdered by Hamas or killed by Israeli strikes in Gaza.
Three hostages were tragically killed by Israel's own soldiers after escaping Hamas terrorists in December.
And a further three have been rescued by Israeli troops since the war broke out - two of them just days ago in a daring overnight raid.
Hagari said: “Because Hamas terrorists are likely hiding behind injured civilians inside Nasser Hospital right now and appear to have used the hospital to hide our hostages there too.
“This sensitive operation was prepared with precision and is being conducted by IDF special forces who underwent specified training.
“A key objective as defined by our military mission is to ensure that Nasser Hospital continues its important function of treating Gazan patients."
The IDF did not force patients to evacuate the hospital - but spoke to hospital staff about the raid in the days leading up to their operation.
Hagari also said its search came after the IDF shipped in medical supplies, oxygen tanks and fuel for electricity to the hospital.
He added: “We seek no harm to innocent civilians. We seek to find our hostages and bring them home. We seek to hunt down Hamas terrorists wherever they may be hiding.”
Israel has recently expanded its ground operation in Gaza to Rafah - the southernmost part of the strip on the border with Egypt.
Israeli PM Netanyahu's attempt to crush the "last bastion" of Hamas - which he believes is hiding there - has been met with widespread international backlash.
But the Israeli PM insisted that the "final terrorist holdout" is an essential part of the four-month-old battle against Hamas.
Dozens of people, including children, have already been killed as a result of strikes in the city.
Biden, Netanyahu's biggest ally since the war began, even urged caution over the move.
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And Egypt has threatened to suspend its peace treaty with Israel entirely if ground troops are sent in.
