by Sam Halpern
Palestinian reports noted that clashes between Israeli forces and terrorists could be heard in the hospital's vicinity.
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The IDF has begun withdrawing from al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza after two weeks of operating at the site, the IDF and Arab media sources reported on Monday morning.
The Hamas-affiliated Safa News Agency reported that clashes between Israeli forces and terrorists could be heard in the hospital's vicinity.
The Gaza-based Palestinian news organization also claimed that the hospital had sustained widespread burning and destruction and had consequently been rendered totally out of service.
More Palestinian media, citing local sources, claimed that the IDF had rendered the hospital entirely out of service by demolishing multiple floors and burning the rest of the facility as well as other buildings in the immediate area.
A week into the operation at Shifa, IDF spokesperson R.-Adm. Daniel Hagari reported that Hamas had fired mortars at the hospital complex. In an update posted on its Telegram channel, Hamas corroborated the statement shortly thereafter.
Citizens warned to keep away from Shifa Hospital
The Hezbollah-affiliated Al Mayadeen added that a local correspondent noted that emergency committees were warning civilians not to visit the hospital out of concern for ongoing military activity on the premises.
Later, the military confirmed that IDF and Shin Bet forces had completed the operation in the Shifa Hospital area and that troops from Shayetet 13 special forces, the 401st Brigade's combat team, and Nahal troops had left the medical facility.
On Saturday, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi called the IDF operation in Shifa "successful" and "a very significant achievement," adding that the military had managed "to kill and capture many, many terrorists."
Over the course of the two-week operation, the IDF killed approximately 200 terrorists and arrested more than 800 terror suspects, over 500 of whom the IDF has confirmed as members of either Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Additional IDF activity in the Gaza Strip
The IDF added on Monday that in central Gaza, a combat helicopter had attacked a Hamas military compound that had been booby-trapped against Israeli forces. The IDF noted that terrorists had used the compound to observe IDF troops. The helicopter also struck an additional Hamas compound.
The military went on to note that IAF aircraft used a number of precision strikes over the past day to target terror elements in Gaza that posed threats to Israeli troops.
Additionally, IDF Commando troops operating in the Al-Amal area of Khan Yunis engaged and killed terrorists in close-quarters combat. They also apprehended terrorists and located weapons and explosives during searches of the area.
Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.
Sam Halpern
Source: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-794657
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