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Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Israel finds no evidence of military activity in al-Shifa — WP

Earlier on Thursday, US National Security Council (NSC) Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby told a briefing that the US was confident Hamas used Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital for military purposes

WASHINGTON, November 16./TASS/. Israel has found no evidence of substantial militant activity in Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza, The Washington Post (WP) wrote referring to an unnamed European diplomat.

"Israel had hoped the controversial raid would turn up firm evidence of substantial militant activity in al-Shifa," it said quoting the source.

"But the absence of clear proof to date has already led Western allies, including the United States, to increase pressure on Israel to accept a pause in fighting," the paper quoted the diplomat who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Earlier on Thursday, US National Security Council (NSC) Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby told a briefing that the US was confident Hamas used Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital for military purposes.

On Wednesday, the Israeli military launched a targeted operation against Hamas "in a specified area in the Shifa Hospital," the army press service said. According to it, the main task of the operation is "to defeat Hamas and rescue our hostages."

Earlier, Hamas rejected claims from the Pentagon and the White House that Palestinian radicals were using the al-Shifa hospital as a command center and held captured Israeli soldiers there.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7 after militants from the Gaza Strip-based radical Palestinian group Hamas launched a surprise incursion on Israeli territory, killing many Israeli kibbutz residents living near the Gaza border and abducting more than 200 Israelis, including women, children and the elderly. Hamas described its attack as a response to Israeli authorities’ aggressive actions against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and launched bombardments of the enclave and some areas in Lebanon and Syria, as well as a ground operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

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Israeli-Palestinian conflict

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