Body of Hamas hostage discovered near Gaza hospital

Nov. 16 (UPI) – The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced today that Yehuddit Weiss, a hostage abducted by Hamas during its attack on Israel on Oct. 7, has been found dead near Gaza’s largest hospital, Al-Sharif.

Israeli forces had stormed the hospital for the second time within 24 hours and remained inside. They claimed to have discovered a hidden Hamas war command post in the hospital’s basement. The hospital is currently facing severe shortages of fuel, electricity, and medical supplies, leaving doctors to perform limited procedures by candlelight. Additionally, the hospital is home to numerous premature infants and other babies.

Ashraf al-Qudra, spokesperson for Gaza’s health ministry, expressed concern for the thousands of women, children, sick, and wounded individuals who are at risk of death due to the ongoing Israeli raids on Al-Shifa. Al-Qudra accused Israeli forces of targeting and destroying vital units within the hospital, such as radiology and dialysis departments.

Despite Hamas and doctors in Al-Shifa denying the existence of the war command post, a video shared by NBC News does not conclusively prove its presence.

The IDF reported finding weapons and artillery, including AK-47s, hand grenades, military uniforms, and a laptop with a photo of a kidnapped Israeli soldier. It is unclear whether the soldier in the photo is Yehuddit Weiss.

According to reports, over 1.6 million people have been displaced by the war since Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7. Officials estimate that 1,200 people have been killed, with at least 11,200 confirmed deaths by health officials. Additionally, 239 individuals remain held hostage in Gaza, although it is uncertain how many are being held in Al-Shifa.