A HAMAS bunker where Israeli hostages were held captive as human shields has been discovered below a children’s hospital.
Commandos found the lair beneath the Al-Rantisi facility after locating a tunnel beside the nearby home of one of the terror group’s military chiefs.
ReutersIsrael’s Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari with chair and rope in the bunker[/caption]
ReutersA cache of AK-47 rifles, explosives, grenades, suicide-bomb vests and cash were also found[/caption]
In it was evidence a hostage was tied to a chair and a room used to film captives begging for their lives, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said.
There was also a cache of AK-47 rifles, explosives, grenades, suicide-bomb vests and cash — and a motorbike used by the terrorists in their October 7 murder of 1,200 Israelis.
It was evidence Hamas was treating hospitals as “instruments of war”, said Rear Admiral Hagari.
He added: “Hamas is using hospitals as human shields, as terror machines. This is not the last hospital like this in Gaza.
“I was thinking when I was there about babies, hostage babies, Israeli hostage babies, women, children.
“That is . . . a war crime, that is a crime against humanity, that is against international law.
“The world needs to know what is going on in the hospitals in Gaza.”
Israeli troops are engaged in fierce fighting with Hamas around the nearby Al-Shifa Hospital.
They are convinced Hamas’ terror HQ is in a bunker beneath the facility.
Intelligence officials believe it has several floors, with living and meeting spaces for several hundred fighters along with storage facilities.
It is powered by electricity diverted from the hospital and is accessible from a number of secret entrances.
Last night, Israel Defence Forces said it had tightened its chokehold on Hamas after capturing its parliament building and its police HQ.
Weapons factories were seized and training bases, interrogation rooms and detention cells discovered.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said: “We are advancing at every location.
The Hamas organisation has lost control in Gaza. Terrorists are fleeing south, civilians are looting Hamas bases.”
The IDF said two more soldiers had been killed and confirmed the death of Cpl. Noa Marciano, 19, who was among the 240 hostages snatched by Hamas.
It came as officials in Gaza said over 11,000 Palestinians had been killed.
The UK and US imposed a third round of sanctions on Hamas yesterday and foreign minister Andrew Mitchell said both “air and maritime options” were being considered to deliver more aid to Gaza.
ReutersHagari shows a tunnel commandos found[/caption]