Israel on Sunday released a video of what it described as a tunnel dug by Palestinian operatives under Shifa Hospital complex in Gaza.
"OPERATIONAL UPDATE: IDF and ISA forces revealed a significant 55-meter-long terrorist tunnel, 10 metres underneath the Shifa Hospital complex, during an intelligence-based operation," the IDF wrote in a post on social media platform X.
The defence forces also highlighted that the tunnel entrance contains various defence mechanisms, such as a blast-proof door and a firing hole.
"The tunnel entrance contains various defence mechanisms, such as a blast-proof door and a firing hole, in an attempt by Hamas to block Israeli forces from entering," the IDF said.
"For weeks, we've been telling the world about Hamas' cynical use of the residents of Gaza and patients of Shifa Hospital as human shields. Here is more proof," it added.
The Israel Defence Forces on Saturday denied that they demanded Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City evacuate within an hour, adding that it only accepted the requests of the medical centre's director to make a safe route for those who wished to leave, The Times of Israel reported.
"This morning, the IDF acceded to the request of the director of Shifa Hospital to enable additional Gazans who were in the hospital and would like to evacuate to do so via the secure route," the IDF said in a statement.
The IDF further stated that they had in fact proposed that any requests for medical evacuation would be provided by the IDF, according to The Times of Israel.
"At no point did the IDF order the evacuation of patients or medical teams and in fact, it proposed that any request for medical evacuation would be facilitated by the IDF," the statement added.
