The Israeli military has denied this evening that it has targeted al-Shifa hospital, Gaza’s largest, calling as “false” reports that its forces have “surrounded it and are hitting it”.

“False information has been circulating in the last few hours that we are encircling and hitting Al Shifa hospital,” said army spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Haggari.

Since Friday, many testimonies collected by the AFP or reported by international organizations speak of an intensification of the fighting around this hospital where, in addition to the patients, thousands of civilians have also taken refuge.

“Hamas is lying about what is happening in the hospitals,” Hagari said. “Yesterday, he was quick to accuse us of being responsible for the attack on Al Shifa Hospital. We checked our systems and found that it was a rocket that was mistakenly fired and belonged to the terrorist organizations of the Gaza Strip,” he continued, reiterating that there is “a designated passageway for entry and exit from the eastern side of the hospital.”

According to Hagari, another hospital, Radisi Children’s Hospital was “evacuated” after “a terrorist holding a thousand Gazans hostage” was killed.