Jakarta (Reuters) – The operator of the Indonesia hospital in Gaza on Monday denied an accusation by the Israeli military that its facility has been used by Hamas to launch an attack.
The comments were in response to the Israeli military’s accusation that Hamas uses hospitals, including Gaza’s main hospital al-Shifa, the Qatari-funded Sheikh Hamad Hospital and a hospital built by groups from Indonesia, as cover to shield its underground operations.
“We built this hospital to help others, according to the needs of the Gazans,” said Sarbini Abdul Murad, the chairman of MER-C, a voluntary group operating the Indonesia hospital.
“Israel’s accusation is a precondition so that they can attack the Indonesian hospital in Gaza,” he told a press conference in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta.
Israel’s military spokesperson said on Sunday one satellite image had shown rocket launchers located across the street from the Indonesian hospital.
Another official at MER-C said there was no tunnel under the hospital and that its fuel tank and power generators are kept in separate nearby buildings for security reasons.
Indonesia, the world’s biggest Muslim-majority country, has called for an immediate ceasefire and has sent humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Health officials in Hamas-controlled Gaza said more than 9,770 Palestinians have been killed in the war since Hamas launched a cross-border assault on Oct.7, killing 1,400 people and seizing more than 240 hostages.
