Israeli Envoy Accuses Hamas of Using Civilians as Human Shields

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, says Hamas is using civilians in Gaza as human shields, disregarding the welfare of the Palestinian population.

“Israel looks to limit civilian deaths, Hamas wants to maximize civilian deaths – it is why they put their command-and-control centres under hospitals, and fire their rockets from next to schools, mosques and playgrounds,” said the Israeli diplomat in a statement. “The sooner that Hamas is vanquished, the sooner there can be a better life for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”

Israel also accused Hamas of using hospitals, medical facilities, and children’s playgrounds as terror bases in the Gaza Strip in a clear breach of international law.

Its defence spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, provided video footage showing Hamas gunmen emerging from a tunnel under Sheikh Hamad Hospital, as well as firing at Israeli forces from within the building itself.

In addition, Hagari presented a video showing an underground entrance from Sheikh Hamad Hospital, which he said connected to Hamas tunnel networks believed to run for hundreds of kilometres under the Gaza Strip.

    Hagari claimed that the IDF had intelligence of a tunnel network under the Indonesian Hospital and the Shifa Hospital, as well as aerial imagery showing rocket launchers a few dozen meters from the complex.

  Hagari said, “Hamas systematically built the Indonesian Hospital to disguise its underground terror infrastructure.”

    The Israel Defence Forces also provided evidence that the Hamas terror group’s main base of operations is under Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, providing visuals and intercepted audio as evidence of the Hamas’ activities.

 Hagari said troops found four underground launchers some five meters (16 feet) from a children’s swimming pool and around 30 meters from residential homes in the northern Gaza Strip, footage showed.

  Another clip showed troops locating several rocket launchers within a children’s playground and amusement park compound.