The director of Gaza’s largest hospital was arrested by Israeli forces, according to a spokesperson for the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health.
Other doctors were also arrested alongside Al-Shifa Hospital director Mohammed Abu Salmiya, spokesperson Ashraf Al-Qidra said Thursday.
Abu Salmiya was reportedly arrested while evacuating with a World Health Organization convoy, an ER doctor inside Al-Shifa told Al-Jazeera News, citing doctors accompanying the director.
Responding to a CNN request for comment, the IDF would not confirm the arrest of Abu Salmiya, but said he “needs to be questioned.”
“He was in constant state of denial saying it doesn’t happen. How could a General Manager of the hospital not know about the extent of the tunnel system?” Lt. Col. Peter Lerner told CNN’s Max Foster.
“We need to see exactly what he can share with us about his knowledge,” the IDF spokesperson went on to say.
A flashpoint: Last week, the IDF launched what it called a “precise and targeted” operation against Hamas inside Al-Shifa, the largest hospital in Gaza.
Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of using the hospital for military purposes, which Hamas and hospital officials deny.
Abu Salmiya warned during the IDF’s operation of the deteriorating humanitarian crisis inside the hospital, as hundreds of wounded people, dozens of premature babies and thousands of displaced people were caught up in the fighting.
“The children are starving, and here I mean the displaced children because they need milk and there is no water to make milk for them,” Abu Salmiya said last week.
He accused the “Israeli occupation” of besieging the hospital, sabotaging sections and roaming within its premises.
David Turner is a globe-trotting journalist who brings a global perspective to our readers. With a commitment to shedding light on international events, he explores complex geopolitical issues, offering a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
