The Israeli army announced today that it intends to continue the operations it has been carrying out since Monday in Gaza’s al-Sifah hospital until the capture of “the last terrorist”.

“We will end this operation only when every last terrorist is in our hands — dead or alive,” Southern Command commander Lt. Gen. Yaron Finkelman said from the scene in a statement released by the Israeli military. .

“The operation here in al-Sifah is important” and “complicated,” he commented, adding that (the operation) allowed “hundreds of terrorists to be injured” and “hundreds of others to be arrested.”

Earlier today, the army clarified that it has killed a total of more than 170 Palestinian militants and arrested hundreds of suspects during these raids.

Since Monday, residents of the neighborhood and staff at the hospital complex, the largest in Palestinian territory, have spoken of raids, systematic searches of surrounding homes, extensive destruction of buildings, especially the hospital, and of men being arrested by the hundreds.

Today the Israeli army announced the installation of medical equipment and beds there to treat the most seriously ill as well as the arrival of medicine and two tons of food. He added that he was moving the sick and injured to a “specially designed area” inside the hospital.