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The Israeli military said on Wednesday it was conducting a “precise and targeted” operation inside the al-Shifa hospital in the Gaza Strip, launched hours after the US backed its claims that Hamas was storing weapons in medical facilities. Israel said it had killed several Hamas militants at the start of the raid in the hospital, where thousands of Palestinian civilians have been taking shelter and seeking treatment. A witness told Reuters that tanks entered the compound at 3am and Israeli troops were searching the basement. Martin Griffiths, the UN relief chief, said the “protection of newborns, patients, medical staff and all civilians must override all other concerns”. Israel said it had delivered incubators and medical supplies to the hospital, which stopped functioning at the weekend after Israel blocked supplies of fuel and water to Gaza, putting the lives of patients including newborn babies at risk. More than 11,000 people have been killed in Gaza by Israel’s bombardment of the enclave, according to Palestinian officials, after Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 civilians on 7 October and seized more than 240 hostages.