Battle at Al‑Kuds hospital. Israeli forces neutralized 21 terrorists
The Israeli army reported on Monday that their soldiers had neutralized 21 alleged terrorists who, according to them, successfully infiltrated a group of civilians and began shooting from the vicinity of the Al-Kuds hospital in the Gaza Strip. This hospital is recognized as the second-largest medical facility in the area.
6:03 AM EST, November 14, 2023
The alleged militants managed to blend seamlessly with the crowd of civilians at the hospital entrance before carrying out their attack on Israeli soldiers. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), locally referred to as the Cahal, reported that the attackers were armed with light weapons and anti-tank launchers.
Fire Exchange Occurs Outside Hospital
The Israeli army confirmed in a statement that their forces retaliated against the attack, leading to the killing of 21 militants. Despite this, some managed to retreat into the hospital following the gunfire exchange. The statement also highlighted that no Israeli soldier sustained any injuries or lost their life during this shooting. However, they reported damage to one tank.
Media outlets, including CNN and Sky News, highlight the lack of clarity regarding whether or not any civilians were harmed during the shooting.
Al-Kuds Hospital is known as the second-largest hospital in the Gaza Strip, currently under the control of Hamas. On Sunday, the Palestinian Red Crescent (PRC) announced that the hospital had been rendered non-operational due to power shortages and depleted fuel resources required for the power generators.
A similar situation is also evident at Al-Shifa—the largest hospital in the area.
The PRC reported on Monday that an "intense exchange of fire" was underway near Al-Kuds Hospital. A humanitarian convoy, assisted by the International Red Cross Committee with the intent of evacuating patients and staff from the hospital, was compelled to retreat due to ongoing bombing and a hazardous situation in the area, as reported by CNN.