The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said on Wednesday that its troops are carrying out a "precise and targeted" operation against the Palestinian movement Hamas in Al-Shifa hospital - the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip - and are doing their best to avoid harming civilians.
"Based on intelligence information and an operational necessity, IDF forces are carrying out a precise and targeted operation against Hamas in a specified area in the Shifa Hospital," the IDF said in a statement on Telegram.
The IDF said Israel is "at war with Hamas, not with the civilians in Gaza," adding that it has facilitated "wide-scale evacuations of the hospital and maintained regular dialogue with hospital authorities."
"The IDF forces include medical teams and Arabic speakers, who have undergone specified training to prepare for this complex and sensitive environment, with the intent that no harm is caused to the civilians being used by Hamas as human shields," the IDF said.
Israel's army also called on Hamas members in the hospital to surrender, the statement read.
Earlier in the day, the Al Arabiya broadcaster reported that the Israeli army had officially notified the medical personnel of the Shifa hospital of its intention to storm the medical facility.
