Nov. 16 (UPI) — A hostage abducted by Hamas during its Oct. 7 attack on Israel, Yehuddit Weiss, has been found dead adjacent to Gaza’s biggest hospital, Al-Sharif, the Israel Defense Forces said.
Israeli forces remained inside the hospital after storming it for the second time in 24 hours. and claimed to have found a clandestine Hamas war command post in the basement of the hospital, which has run out of fuel, electricity and, some doctors say, hope, after many physicians have reportedly performed limited medical procedures by candlelight, bereft of enough aid to sustain a legitimate medical operation. The hospital also houses a number of premature infants and other babies.
“Thousands of women, children, sick and wounded are in danger of death” as Israeli raids on al-Shifa continue for a third night,” Ashraf al-Qudra, spokesman for Gazas health ministry, said. al-Qudra has accused Israeli forces of destroying radiology and dialysis units in the hospital.
Hamas and doctors in Al-Shifa have continued to deny the presence of the war command post, and video shared by NBC News does not appear to confirm its existence.
The IDF said it discovered weapons and artillery, including AK-47s, hand grenades, military uniforms and a laptop that included a photo of a kidnapped Israeli soldier in the hospital. It’s not clear if the photo was of Weiss.
More than 1.6 million people have reportedly been displaced by the war since Hamas’ Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel, which officials said killed 1,200 people. Health officials confirm at least 11,200 people have been killed since the war began and officials say 239 people are still being held hostage in Gaza. It’s not clear how many are being held in Al-Shifa.
