The Israel Defense Forces detained 240 Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists during a recent operation in and around the Kamal Adwan hospital in northern Gaza. The large number of terrorists found near this key medical facility once against illustrates how Hamas has used hospitals as part of its plan to continue to control Gaza. This is now just a coincidence.
Hamas also used Shifa hospital in Gaza city and other medical facilities. Hamas views hospitals and schools as key elements in its command and control of Gaza.
The IDF raid on Kamal Adwan is at least the third time the IDF has gone into this same hospital to root out Hamas. These raids have all taken place over the last year, showcasing how quickly Hamas returns to these sites. Hamas is not learning, it is not defeated and it is not deterred. The evidence below will illustrate this problem.
What happened in the last week between December 25 and 28?
The IDF said that “at the beginning of the targeted operation, the 401st Brigade encircled the Kamal Adwan Hospital and apprehended terrorists who were hiding in the area and eliminated additional terrorists. Shayetet 13 special forces conducted precise activities inside the hospital and located and confiscated weapons in the area, including grenades, guns, munitions, and military equipment.”
Shayet 13 special forces operate in the Kamal Adwan Hospital in the Gaza Strip, December 28, 2024. (IDF SPOKESPERSON’S UNIT)
The IDF operated next to the hospital and “terrorists fired anti-tank missiles and RPGs at the troops and attempted to carry out additional attacks against the troops. The troops swiftly eliminated the terrorists. In addition, the IAF conducted strikes that eliminated terrorists attempting to flee the area. There were no IDF casualties.” Terrorists tried to use ambulances and pose as patients during the fighting.
First operation in the hospital
During the first operation against terrorists near the hospital, similar incidents took place. On December 13, 2023, more than a year ago, the IDF said that it had raided an area near the hospital. “During engagements with terrorists in the area of the hospital, a number of terrorists were killed by IDF troops,” the IDF said.
Then in late October, 2024, the IDF had to re-enter the area near Kamal Adwan. The first raid on the hospital took place in the context of the IDF’s opening operations in northern Gaza in October, November and December. At the time the IDF estimated it had dismantled around ten of the Hamas battalions in Gaza. In fact, many of these Hamas units were then subsequently reconstituted and had to be defeated two or three times since.
The second battle took place in late October. The IDF had begun operations in Jabaliya in early October 2024 and as a result of the moves by various IDF units to isolate Jabaliya, terrorists were also confronted in Kamal Adwan.
During the late October incidents, the IDF said that Hamas had used the medical center for command and control. Hamas also used ambulances. Around 40 terrorists were detained. The IDF’s Shayetet 13 also took part in this operation.
The multiple battles at this same hospital and the area around it reveal two things. Hamas always returns to these areas. It often returns almost immediately. It knows the IDF comes and goes and it waits and returns. Each time it may lose dozens of men, but it doesn’t matter to Hamas. It recruits and returns. Each time it is the same cycle. The clashes around this hospital in the winter of 2023 are the same as in the winter of 2024.
Very little has changed. There is little evidence that much will change. The Hamas control of medical facilities is part of the fabric and status quo of Gaza. International organizations never mention the presence of gunmen in and around the hospitals. They never mention how Hamas infiltrates the area. They have an unspoken agreement never to mention the presence of Hamas. This enables Hamas to continue using hospitals.
The return of Hamas to the area
At the same time the IDF’s tactic of raiding and leaving enables Hamas to always return. The same thing has happened in Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza. The IDF has had to launch yet another operation in this area in the last weeks. The Kfir brigade went into an area west of Beit Hanoun, the IDF said last week. The Nahal brigade is also operating in Beit Hanoun.
As IDF troops closed in several long range missiles were launched from this area. Beit Hanoun is very close to Sderot. There is no clear reason why this area continues to be a threat, despite a year of war. And yet, there are still terrorists in Beit Hanoun.
There are still threats in northern Gaza, despite months of operations. This illustrates how difficult it is to uproot Hamas. In many cases civilians also seem to find a way to return to these areas, despite previous evacuation orders, and the terrorists return with them. In Jabaliya, for instance, thousands of terrorists were eliminated and detained, according to estimates. It’s unclear if this will end the Hamas presence in this area.
In essence, Hamas continues to control a large part of Gaza, despite a year and months of war. Hamas controls central Gaza. It controls most of Gaza city. It has returned to areas in Khan Younis. It controls the humanitarian area of Mawasi. It will likely return to Kamal Adwan, and other areas unless it is prevented systematically from doing so. Kamal Adwan is an example of the challenge of fighting the terror group in Gaza, and how confident Hamas feels that it can always exploit areas such as hospitals to continue its control of Gaza.
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