The Israeli army has arrested the director of the Shifa Medical Complex, Muhammad Abu Salmiya, currently under its control, accusing Hamas of using the hospital. Doctor Khaled Abu Samra from the hospital stated on Thursday that Abu Salmiya was arrested, which was confirmed by an Israeli army spokesman. Abu Samra explained, "The occupying army arrested the director of the Shifa Complex, Muhammad Abu Salmiya, along with several medical staff last night." Palestinian doctors noted that the army arrested another doctor and two nurses.
Hamas condemned the arrest of Abu Salmiya and his colleagues, describing it as a "crime and a flagrant violation of international conventions." The movement called in a statement for the "Red Cross and international organizations to work for their immediate release."
Abu Salmiya informed Agence France-Presse that he received an "order" to evacuate the hospital on November 18 after previously refusing a similar order. Meanwhile, the Israeli army spokesman for the Arab media, Avichay Adraee, stated, "The director of Shifa Hospital was arrested and transferred for interrogation by the Shin Bet (internal security) after numerous testimonies revealed the use of the hospital he manages as a Hamas command center."
He added, "Hamas exploited substantial resources in the hospital, including electricity to strengthen its tunnel network, as well as storing various weapons inside and around it." The army spokesman clarified that Hamas "used the hospital as a refuge for those involved in the attack on Israel and transferred Israeli captives there on the day of the attack," noting that "the forensic report confirmed that the killing of Corporal Talia Mertsyano occurred inside the Shifa Medical Complex." Regarding the director's arrest, he mentioned that "the decision to continue holding him will be based on the results of the investigation and the extent of the director's involvement in Hamas activities."
