Hamas Member Admits It Uses Hospital as Command Center

Latest Developments

A member of Hamas admitted that the terrorist group uses a hospital as a command center, according to new footage released by Israel on December 19. The footage shows an Israeli interrogation of Hamas Lieutenant Colonel Ahmad Kahalot, who serves as manager of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, in which he admits that the facility was under the control of Hamas. Kahalot also says that at least one Israeli hostage seized by Hamas on October 7 was brought to the hospital.

The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry reported on December 12 that Israeli troops entered the Kamal Adwan Hospital. In the subsequent days, Israeli soldiers arrested more than 70 Hamas operatives, including Kahalot. Following the arrests, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet security agency released a joint statement indicating that some of the individuals captured at the hospital had participated in the October 7 massacre in southern Israel.

Expert Analysis

“Once again, Hamas is cynically using a hospital as a cover for its terrorist activities. Hamas hides behind the most vulnerable civilians because it understands that the suffering of the people of Gaza is yet another weapon it can use to attack Israel.” — Enia Krivine, Senior Director of FDD’s Israel Program and National Security Network

“Hamas’s widespread use of hospitals as bases of operation underscores the urgent need to remove the terrorist group from power in Gaza. Hamas not only threatens every Israeli man, woman, and child, Jewish and Arab alike, but also endangers Gazans as well.” — David May, FDD Research Manager and Senior Research Analyst

Hamas Exploits Hospitals for Terrorism

In November, the IDF uncovered a sophisticated tunnel complex beneath Shifa Hospital in Gaza that included bathrooms, a kitchen, and air conditioned rooms. With its 1,200 beds, Shifa is Gaza’s biggest hospital. Israel has warned for years that Hamas leaders were exploiting the hospital’s protected status by digging their main bunker and tunnel network below ground.

On November 19, the IDF released surveillance footage of armed terrorists bringing hostages abducted from Israel on October 7 into Shifa Hospital. The IDF discovered the remains of two Israeli hostages, Noa Marciano and Yehudit Weiss, in the vicinity of Shifa Hospital. 

Related Analysis

“10 Things to Know About Hamas and Hospitals,” FDD Insight

“The Real Gaza Hospital Crisis,” Jonathan Schanzer, FDD Senior Vice President for Research

“Hamas Uses Gaza Hospital as Headquarters,” FDD Flash Brief