The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated this Tuesday, November 14, that its troops are fighting Hamas in a "specified area" of the Shifa Hospital in the Gaza Strip, where the terrorist group supposedly maintains its command center.

"IDF forces are carrying out a precise and targeted operation against Hamas in a specified area in the Shifa Hospital, based on intelligence information and an operational necessity," the Israeli forces explained in a statement. "The IDF is conducting a ground operation in Gaza to defeat Hamas and rescue our hostages. Israel is at war with Hamas, not with the civilians in Gaza."

As outlined in their statement, the teams that entered the hospital included doctors and Arabic-speaking staff who received specific training to work in a complex and delicate environment, seeking to safeguard the lives of civilians who are used as "human shields."

The IDF also explained why it carried out its operation at Shifa Hospital, accusing Hamas of using the health center for its own protection while putting the lives of Palestinians at risk.

"In recent weeks, the IDF has publicly warned time and again that Hamas' continued military use of the Shifa hospital jeopardizes its protected status under international law, and enabled ample time to stop this unlawful abuse of the hospital," the statement reads. "Yesterday, the IDF conveyed to the relevant authorities in Gaza once again that all military activities within the hospital must cease within 12 hours. Unfortunately, they did not."

Likewise, Israeli forces argued that they allowed large-scale evacuations of the health center by maintaining regular contact with hospital authorities.

"We call upon all Hamas terrorists present in the hospital to surrender," the IDF stated.