What has Israel ‘found’ in Gaza’s al-Shifa Hospital?

Israel on Thursday raided Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital for a second day in a row.

On Wednesday, Israeli troops had raided the coastal enclave’s largest medical facility, starting at 2am. Israel has long claimed that Hamas was using the hospital as a command centre. The Israeli army has said the raid has helped it find evidence to back up its assertion.

So what does Israel claim to have found?

The Israeli military released video footage from inside an undisclosed building within the medical complex.

The video showed three duffel bags that the military claims were found hidden in an MRI lab, each containing an assault rifle, grenades, Hamas uniforms and flak jackets.

Additionally, the army showed assault rifles without ammunition clips and a laptop that it said were found.

Israeli military spokesperson Jonathan Conricus said: “These weapons have absolutely no business being inside a hospital,” adding that he believed the material was “just the top of the iceberg.”

In the days leading up to the raid, Israel insisted that Hamas was operating tunnels underground al-Shifa Hospital. It also claimed that the hospital was a command centre and military post for Hamas.

Israel’s claims were also backed by United States President Joe Biden, who accused Hamas of committing war crimes by having its military headquarters under the hospital.