The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on Sunday accused Hamas once again of using hospitals as hideouts in the war. In a statement, the IDF claimed to have uncovered a network of Hamas tunnels, command centers and rocket launchers under, and near, several hospitals in northern Gaza. – Hamas systematically exploits hospitals as part of its war machine, Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari claimed on Monday. To substantiate the claims, the IDF published a number of videos and recordings. A video purports to show what is allegedly the entrance to a Hamas tunnel at the hospital. It also apparently has a vent pipe next to it. Lieutenant Colonel Palle Ydstebø believes the Israeli military has even stronger evidence than it makes public. Photo: Gunhild Hjermundrud / news Must enter with observers – Both parties intend to front their own agenda, says Lieutenant Colonel Palle Ydstebø, head teacher at the War School to news. As for the videos shared by the Israeli Defense Forces, Ydstebø leans in the direction that the IDF may be right in its claims. He points out, among other things, that it seems suspicious that the entrance seen in the videos is on the outside of the hospital, and that ventilation pipes are visible at the entrance. This hole outside the Sheik Hamad hospital the IDF claims is the entrance to a tunnel. But to be able to confirm anything, independent observers must gain access to the areas, he says. – Until then, there are only degrees of probability. He points out that Israel is a democracy and that the Israeli defense forces are held responsible for their own population. – But I don’t think they need to make things up, says Ydstebø. An overview from 2021 of where the Israeli military (IDF) believes Hamas has tunnels in Gaza. Photo: Source: IDF Enormous tunnel system It is no secret that Hamas has an enormous tunnel system under Gaza. The Islamist organization has been working on the tunnel system for over 30 years, and says itself that it is around 500 kilometers long. – Hamas builds the tunnels to conduct its operations with, among other things, command posts and warehouses. What Israel is making a point of is that this is in connection with hospitals, mosques and other objects that are protected according to the international law of war, says Ydstebø. Hamas claimed on Sunday that Israel has carried out a series of “intense bomb attacks” around several hospitals in the enclave. They have always denied accusations that they are hiding among civilians and fighting from hospitals in Gaza. news has so far failed to verify the claims from the IDF about tunnels under the hospitals. So far in the war, over 10,000 people have been killed in Gaza, including 4,104 children, according to Gaza’s health authorities. Hospitals are particularly protected – It is not unlikely that Hamas has tunnels there, but that does not mean that the hospital should be attacked, says Camilla Guldahl Cooper. She is a principal teacher at the Norwegian Armed Forces College and an expert on the international law of war. Hospitals have special protection in war, precisely because they have such an important role. But hospitals can lose this protection if they are used for military purposes. However, there is a requirement that the hospital receive a warning before it is attacked, if the military use does not cease, Cooper emphasizes. – There is a requirement that a warning be given that hospitals will be attacked, if the military use does not cease, emphasizes Camilla Guldahl Cooper, expert on international law in war. Photo: Forsvaret.no Nevertheless, even if Hamas were to have tunnels under hospitals in Gaza, that does not exempt Israel from attacking without an assessment of the civilian losses, Cooper emphasizes. – It is one thing whether these are legal goals, which they can be, but still one must make a proportionality assessment. Then you have to assess whether the military objective is sufficient to compensate for the civilian losses, she says and continues: – And a tunnel alone, it is difficult to say that it is sufficient. But Israel may have information we don’t have.
ttn-69