Hamas uses hospitals for terror purposes, Gaza hospital director admits

The director of the Kamal Adwan Hospital Kahlot said he joined Hamas in 2010 at the equivalent rank of a brigadier general.

The IDF's interrogation of Kamaal Aduan Hospital head Ahmad Kahlot (IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

Kamaal Aduan Hospital head Ahmad Kahlot of Jabliya in Gaza has confessed to the Shin Bet that Hamas took over his hospital as a military operations center, it was revealed on Tuesday.

Kahlot told his interrogators that he joined Hamas in 2010 at the equivalent rank of a brigadier-general.

Next, he said that many of the hospital staff doubled as members of Hamas’s az-al-adin al-Qasam brigades. These include doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other staff.

More specifically, he said that the hospital had 16 staff members who doubled as terror operatives for Hamas.

 Men holding raised weapons are led out by Israeli soldiers near Kamal Adwan hospital, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, in Jabalya in the northern Gaza Strip, in this handout photo released December 14, 2023.  (credit: IDF/Handout via REUTERS)
Men holding raised weapons are led out by Israeli soldiers near Kamal Adwan hospital, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, in Jabalya in the northern Gaza Strip, in this handout photo released December 14, 2023. (credit: IDF/Handout via REUTERS)

Kahlot was arrested on December 12 and since then has explained in detail how Hamas concealed its weapons and wove its operations into the workings of the hospital.

Hostage IDF soldier held in hospital

In addition, he confessed that Hamas brought one of the IDF soldier hostages to the hospital and used ambulances to move around Israeli hostages’ bodies.

Further, he described Hamas as having its own separate offices, ambulances, and equipment with different colors and signs.

The IDF has put out general evidence of Hamas abusing nearly all of its 20-plus hospitals and specific evidence of more extensive abuse of a few hospitals, such as Shifa and Rantisi.

Shifa Hospital’s Director Muhammad Abu Salmiya was arrested by the Shin Bet on November 23 and his detention was extended for 45 days by a videoconference court hearing on November 27.


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No agency has distributed any statements by Abu Salmiya to date and the Post understands that the defense establishment’s view is either he has not yet “cracked” in admitting a connection to Hamas or the extent of information he has requires a longer period of questioning.