Mr. Kirby declined to provide details about the U.S. intelligence, but he made clear that it goes beyond the information collected by the Israeli intelligence service.
“Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad — J.I.D. — members operate a command and control node from Al-Shifa in Gaza City,” he added.
“They have stored weapons there, and they’re prepared to respond to an Israeli military operation against that facility.”.
During Israel’s ensuing military campaign to eradicate Hamas, it has repeatedly said that its military seeks to avoid casualties among civilians, including patients and doctors at hospitals.
He called that concern an “added burden” for Israel in its military campaign against Hamas.
Palestinian officials and doctors at Al-Shifa have denied that the hospital has been used by Hamas.
But Mr. Kirby said that the newly revealed U.S. intelligence supported Israel’s arguments as its military closed in on the hospital. »
