In a recent development, Sanad, the digital investigation agency affiliated with Al Jazeera, has refuted Israeli authorities’ claims of a tunnel’s existence under the Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Hospital for Rehabilitation and Prosthetic Hospital in Gaza, commonly known as the Qatari Hospital. Israeli authorities have frequently alleged the presence of command bunkers and tunnels beneath Gaza hospitals as a justification for targeting these health facilities, which are protected by international law during times of conflict.
Israeli military authorities released a video showing a hatch in the courtyard of the Qatari Hospital, adjacent to an exterior wall, which they claimed was an entrance to a Hamas tunnel. However, Sanad’s investigation presents a different perspective, revealing that the hatch is, in fact, the access point to a water reservoir used by the hospital. This water source is utilized for filling therapeutic pools for amputees, irrigating the hospital grounds, and serves as a reserve water supply in case of emergencies.
Sanad conducted a comprehensive analysis of satellite footage and construction archives of the hospital and consulted with one of the original engineers involved in its construction. The Qatari Hospital, established with funding from Qatar, commenced its operations in 2019.
An Al Jazeera digital investigation found no grounds to the Israeli forces claim that there is a Hamas tunnel under Gaza's Sheikh Hamad Hospital ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/4640OprGwk
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) November 7, 2023
Like many other hospitals in Gaza, it has been subjected to damage caused by Israel’s sustained aerial bombardment, which specifically targets medical facilities. Throughout the ongoing conflict, Israeli authorities have alleged that certain hospitals in Gaza, including al-Shifa, the largest hospital in the enclave, are being used to conceal Hamas tunnels, making them complicit in the group’s activities. This assertion has been used to justify repeated attacks on hospital areas that house both patients and displaced individuals from various parts of Gaza. Experts have emphasized that such attacks may constitute violations of international law, given the protected status of civilians and healthcare facilities.
