The Israeli Defense Forces reportedly killed a top member of Hamas during their controversial raid of al-Shifa Hospital, in Gaza City.
The IDF says that Faiq Mabhuoch, head of operations for Hamas' internal security forces, within Gaza was killed while "armed and hiding in a compound." Hamas has not confirmed Mabhuoch's death to the media.
The IDF's raid of al-Shifa hospital has generated controversy due to the substantial civilian presence inside the building. There are approximately 30,000 Gazan civilians residing inside and around the hospital, according to the New York Times.
Nineteen-year-old Alaa Abu al-Kaas said that she had seen 15 Israeli tanks and bulldozers inside the hospital grounds.
"The fear and terror are really eating us alive," she told the New York Times. "We are just sitting here anxiously waiting for them to evacuate us out of here."
The IDF claims that the hospital doubles as a Hamas command center and that the militant group is using Palestinian civilians as human shields. Hamas has disputed these allegations and international media have not been able to totally verify the Israeli claims.
"We know that senior Hamas terrorists have regrouped inside Al-Shifa Hospital and are using it to command attacks against Israel," said Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the Israeli military's chief spokesman, according to the New York Times.
In response to the al-Shifa raid, Hamas called on the international community to protect Gaza's remaining hospitals.
"The failure of the international community and the United Nations to take action against the occupation army was a green light to continue the war of genocide and ethnic cleansing it is committing against our people, one of the pillars of which is the destruction of medical facilities in the Gaza Strip," the militant group said, according to Al Jazeera.
