IDF Dismantles 1.2-Km Hamas Tunnel in Gaza; Hospital Airstrikes Ignite Global Outrage

Israeli military says tunnel linked to weapons cache and Hamas operations; Gaza officials condemn airstrike on al-Ahli Hospital as systematic targeting of health infrastructure

Tel Aviv [Israel], April 14: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Sunday announced it had dismantled a 1.2-kilometre-long underground “terrorist route” in northern Gaza, claiming it was being used by Hamas for operational and logistical purposes.

According to a statement posted on social media platform X, IDF troops uncovered the tunnel during a military sweep. Near the tunnel, they discovered a weapons cache allegedly containing 20 explosive devices, an anti-tank guided missile, and other weapons. The IDF said the tunnel and weapons were linked to Hamas infrastructure.

In the same operation, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) conducted an airstrike on several individuals reportedly seen planting explosives near Israeli troops. “In swift and precise coordination, an IAF aircraft strike eliminated several terrorists,” the IDF said, sharing a video of the operation that shows three individuals on the ground.

Later on Sunday, Israel’s military strikes expanded to include Gaza’s al-Ahli Hospital — reportedly the last remaining partially functional medical center in northern Gaza — damaging its emergency unit and destroying the surgery building and oxygen station, according to Palestinian health officials.

The Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza stated that the strike came “minutes after a warning to evacuate the building of patients and staff.” Patients, including some in critical condition, were reportedly evacuated as the hospital was rendered inoperative.

In a strongly worded statement, Gaza’s Government Media Office described the airstrike as a “heinous and filthy crime,” accusing Israel of pursuing a systematic plan to dismantle Gaza’s health infrastructure. They claim that 34 hospitals have been destroyed since the conflict escalated.

The IDF, however, maintained that Hamas was using the hospital as a command and control center to plan attacks against Israeli civilians and military forces — a claim that has been repeated in previous incidents involving strikes on civilian infrastructure.

A UN Human Rights Office report published in December 2024 documented at least 136 Israeli strikes on 27 hospitals and 12 medical facilities between October 7, 2023, and June 30, 2024. These attacks resulted in high casualties among medical staff and civilians and inflicted devastating damage on Gaza’s already strained healthcare system.

The ongoing conflict has drawn sharp international criticism and raised fresh concerns over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, particularly as hospitals and aid corridors come under fire amid continued military operations.