
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Nowhere is the evil of Hamas more evident than in their use of the largest hospital in Gaza City as a military headquarters. ; Put quite simply, that is a war crime.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Hamas’ use of vulnerable civilians as shields in conflict is cowardly … evil … and (worth saying again) a war crime. ; The terrorist organization uses the most vulnerable of people in the most vulnerable of situations – in a major hospital – as the location for a headquarters command center.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Al Shifa Hospital is not just a building. ; It is a several acre complex of buildings. ; Below the medical facility is the Hamas command center serviced by a web of tunnels.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In the open areas around the hospital buildings, Hamas had established tent cities for those fleeing the area impacted by the War. ; Ponder that. ; Hamas is packing the land above their military headquarters with thousands of civilians even as the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) is warning people to leave that area. ;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It is also noteworthy that the underground Hamas headquarters continues to operate with fuel and electricity even as the Hospital above is denied those existential needs. ; Nothing new there. ; Hamas has had ample fuel in storage to provide for the basic needs of those hospitals, but has hoarded it for their own terrorist purposes. ; ;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The hospital medical staff are forced to lie about the existence of the Hamas facility. ; Some weapons have already been found stored in the hospital proper.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Conversely, the IDF is bringing medical supplies, generators and incubators into the hospital to enable the medical staff to carry out their life-saving missions for those physically unable to leave the Hospital. ; Arab speaking members of the IDF are on the scene to facilitate the delivery of the supplies.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Cynically, Hamas has been blocking civilian travel to southern Gaza even as Israel has established safe corridors and temporary pauses in attacks to facilitate the movement. ; When alive Hamas uses civilians as shields – and when killed, for public relations benefit. ;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">While Israel is taking measures to minimize civilian casualties, Hamas engages in practices that maximizes them. ; It is said that when a Jew dies, Hamas celebrates – and when a Palestinian dies, Hamas celebrates.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Tragically, many more Palestinian men, women and children died than should have because Hamas used them has a wall of protection – and as pawns in their public relations campaign against the Israeli response to the savage attack on people from 32 nations residing and visiting Israel. ; The main focus of the Hamas attack was ironically a holiday peace festival.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There is little doubt that the IDF will eventually take control of the Al Shifa Hospital – and the underground Hamas military facility. ; The high number of civilian casualties in the War – and in the hospital compound &#8212; is the responsibility of Hamas and their disregard for human life on both sides of the conflict.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The just and necessary war against Hamas cannot be carried out without the unfortunate result of what the military cynically describes as “collateral damage.” It is a constant in all conflicts – from wars to terrorist attacks. The Irael-Hamas War is having a high number of civilian deaths because Gaza is a very crowded territory and Hamas is consolidating civilians around their high value military operations. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The relatively worthless United Nations should at least focus on the war crimes by Hamas instead of condemning the justified response by Israel. The world understands that entering into a ceasefire is not an option. ; And that this international terrorist backed war is only one phase of the existential worldwide battle against terrorism.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">So, there ‘tis.</p>

Hamas defending their hospital-based headquarters with civilians
