Claims of military use

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claim that Hamas has been using al-Rantisi hospital to store weapons and Israeli hostages,^[11] a claim that the United States, Israel's ally,^[12][13] supports.^[14] News agencies have not been able to independently verify IDF claims.^[15]

The IDF showed CNN a cache of weapons and explosives in the basement of the hospital, which was reportedly disconnected from the main medical facility. CNN quoted the International Committee of the Red Cross saying that "hospitals are given special protection under international humanitarian law in a time of war, but if militants store weapons there, or use them as a base of fire, then that protection falls away."^[16] Additionally, the IDF claimed that hostages had been held in this location. Evidence presented by the IDF for military use of the basement included a motorcycle with a bullet hole, ropes, and baby bottles. The IDF said the ropes indicated a hostage had been tied to a chair, and they said the baby bottles indicated a baby had been held hostage in the hospital basement. Improvised toilets were also found, which, according to the IDF, signified infrastructure to hold hostages, as well as an alleged tunnel entrance.^[17] Daniel Hagari, a spokesperson for the IDF, posted a video where he claimed that the IDF had found Hamas weapons and technology, as well as a "list of terrorist names" in Arabic with the title “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood”, showing each agents' rota guarding Israeli hostages under the Al-Rantisi Children's Hospital. However, a translation of the document shows that it contains no names but instead a calendar of the days of the week.^[18][19]

The hospital basement and the nearby tunnel system were also shown to CNN journalist Nic Robertson. IDF said that forensic teams would begin investigations for evidence on the presence of hostages in the complex. The IDF also sent robots into tunnels to investigate the full length of the system. The Gaza Health Ministry and Gazan doctors denied the claims, stating that the basement complex was a shelter for hospital staff and refugees, while the tunnel shaft was an electrical wire assembly point.^[16][20]