Israel military withdraws troops from Gaza's Al Shifa hospital after a two-week operation

An overnight exchange of missile attacks between Hamas and Israeli soldiers was reported on Monday near Jabalia, a densely populated camp housing nearly 100,000 people. Despite the clashes, US officials have indicated progress in a deal to release hostages held by Hamas. An Israeli official has denied any such deal indicating no foreseeable ceasefire. President Joe Biden meanwhile said he cannot provide a timeline for the hostages' release while speaking at an event in Virginia, emphasizing the importance of their safety before making any announcements. The Islamist group had taken about 240 people hostage during the October 7 incursion into Israeli territory, prompting a military response from Israel.

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Gaza's Shifa Hospital has become the focus of a dayslong stalemate in Israel's war against the Hamas militant group.

Israeli troops said they discovered a Hamas tunnel and a huge cache of weapons and ammunition at Gaza's Al Shifa Hospital complex. They also found the body of a 65-year-old woman near the medical facility.

The Israeli military said it was carrying out an operation against Palestinian Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip's Al Shifa Hospital on Wednesday and urged all members of the group in the hospital to surrender.

This escalation that sparked fears of a broader conflict following violence over Jerusalem’s most sensitive site.

Gaza's health ministry spokesperson warned on Wednesday of a potential Israeli raid on the enclave's Al Shifa hospital complex, saying Israel informed Gaza health officials that its forces would raid the facility.

Israel said its forces were operating in and around Gaza's biggest hospital, a chief objective in its campaign to destroy Palestinian Hamas militants that the army says stored weapons and ran a command centre in tunnels beneath the buildings.

The Jordanian army said it held Israel responsible for a "flagrant breach of international law" in damage to the facility. Israel's military denied striking or damaging the hospital, saying it opened fire after encountering a "terrorist cell" next to the hospital.

Soldiers enter buildings, including the emergency and surgery departments, which house intensive care units. Israeli forces raided Gaza’s largest hospital early Wednesday, where hundreds of patients, including newborns, have been stranded with dwindling supplies and no electricity, as the army extended its control across Gaza City and the north.