IDF Says Civilian Facilities Will Not Shield Terrorists From Lawful Action

The IDF said on November 15 that terrorists cannot gain immunity by using civilian facilities as cover for military activity. Lt. Col. Ella Waweya, the military’s spokesperson for Arabic media, said Israel would continue working to prevent Hamas from rebuilding its military capabilities and to remove threats. “The exploitation of civilian facilities will not grant terrorists absolute immunity,” Waweya said. The statement said such use would not prevent military measures that the IDF described as lawful under international law. It also said the military would take necessary precautions to reduce harm to civilians while pursuing those efforts. On November 13, the IDF released details of documents it said troops had recovered in Gaza concerning Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s use of medical institutions. According to the military, a 2019 document written by the deputy commander of Hamas’s Khan Younis Brigade described interrogation and detention procedures and listed locations at Nasser Hospital, the Red Crescent Hospital and the European Hospital. The IDF said a separate document from 2020, recovered in a vehicle near Shifa Hospital, criticized Islamic Jihad’s use of Shifa, Rantisi and Kamal Adwan hospitals. It said that record described placing mortar shells, filming rocket launches, taking over offices and setting up an operations room. The military also said it had indications of Hamas terrorist activity inside Nasser Hospital before and during the war, including in recent weeks.