Israel executes Hamas leader, used hospital patients as human shields

Israel claims, via footage, that it has killed a senior Hamas commander who reportedly held 1,000 Gazans hostage in a hospital. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said al-Furqan Brigade leader Ahmed Siam "was hiding in Al Buraq school along with other terrorists".

Siam was alleged to have held around a thousand Gazans hostage at Al-Rantisi Hospital in Gaza City and used them as 'human shields'. The IDF claimed to have killed Siam in a joint operation with the country's Shin Bet intelligence agency around midday on Friday. Daniel Hagari, the IDF spokesman, wrote in X:

"Ahmed Siam was killed when he hid in a school, where a number of Hamas terrorists under his command hid and were killed with him." "Ahmed Siam is another example of the use of the residents of the Gaza Strip and civilian facilities by the terrorist organization Hamas, as a human shield for the terrorist needs of the organization."

Palestinian officials said on Friday that at least 25 Palestinians had been killed in an Israeli attack on the school, which was packed with evacuees. Meanwhile, Gaza's hospitals have been under fire for the past few days, while intense fighting continues.

The IDF said it was ready to evacuate babies from Gaza's largest hospital, Al-Shifa, where Palestinian officials have said two newborns died and dozens more were at risk after fuel ran out amid intense fighting across the enclave.

The hospital was forced to suspend operations after it ran out of fuel, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, causing two newborns out of 45 being treated there to die. (A2 Televizion)