Israel troops withdraw from Shifa Hospital

Israel Defense Forces ended a two-week raid on Gaza’s largest hospital early Monday morning. IDF troops eliminated hundreds of terrorists and arrested over 500 others, with soldiers also obtaining Hamas weaponry and intelligence, according to an IDF statement. The IDF said its forces prevented harm to medical staff and patients while battling terrorists. At a Sunday press conference, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised IDF soldiers’ work, describing Shifa as “a main terrorism command center for Hamas.” IDF will continue operating north of the Gaza Strip. The withdrawal came hours after protesters gathered in Jerusalem on Easter Sunday, calling for Netanyahu’s resignation. Israeli citizens have grown increasingly angry that Israeli hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7 have not yet been freed.

How has Netanyahu responded? The prime minister on Sunday reaffirmed his commitment to bringing the hostages home. Netanyahu said that a new election would stall Israeli leadership for months and only make negotiations slower. He also reaffirmed his intention to conduct a highly contested raid on the city of Rafah in southwestern Gaza. Netanyahu said attacking the city was necessary for victory and that without destroying Hamas in Rafah, the terror group would only continue to be a threat to Israel.

Dig deeper: Read my report in The Sift on the UN’s International Court of Justice ordering Israel to allow more aid into Gaza.