An unnamed Hamas official told the Hezbollah-affiliated Beirut-based news outlet Al-Ahkbar on Monday that the IDF’s Shifa hospital complex operations were a blow to Hamas's military capabilities.
"No one can underestimate the size of the infiltration carried out by the enemy army in Shifa Hospital, nor underestimate the number of those who were arrested or executed,” the Hamas source said.
However, the source remained optimistic about Hamas's strength and capabilities despite the impact of IDF attacks and arrests, stating that "the current losses can be absorbed and lived with."
"[Hamas] has handled the current situation and managed to restructure its ranks. They have taken into account the high likelihood of the enemy obtaining new information due to interrogating those who have been detained," the source elaborated. "[Hamas] is fully intact."
This statement comes in light of the IDF continuing raids in the Shifa hospital complex, with reports stating that 170 terrorists were killed and 800 suspects were detained. The IDF has noted that approximately 500 of those are confirmed members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Terrorists had returned to the hospital
Anonymous sources in Gaza reiterated IDF statements by telling ABC that terrorists had returned to the hospital to restart their activities on the premises.
The IDF has also reported finding weapons stored within the hospital complex.
Along with ongoing operations in the area of Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza by IDF ground soldiers, the Israel Air Force struck targets across the Strip, including in Rafah.