Shifa Hospital In Gaza To Evacuate As Israeli Military Focuses On Underground Hamas HQ; Trump Criticizes Israel's Public Relations Efforts

The conflict between Israel and Hamas reached a critical juncture on Friday as Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) encircled the Shifa hospital in Gaza City, believed to house a Hamas command center beneath it. An evacuation was ordered by the IDF.

The hospital was hit by an explosion as Israeli forces neared. Reports from The Wall Street Journal indicated between 50,000 and 60,000 people were sheltering in and around the hospital premises, including 2,500 patients.

The situation extends beyond Shifa, with Mustafa al-Kahlout, head of Al Nasr and Al Rantisi Pediatric hospitals in northern Gaza, reporting that they are surrounded by Israeli tanks. He appealed to the Red Cross for assistance in evacuating the hospitals.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry expressed concern over what it perceived as Israel’s “clear intention” to carry out a new massacre in the Shifa hospital complex, urging immediate intervention from the international community.

As reported by the Times of Israel, the IDF notched significant progress in capturing key Hamas outposts in Gaza City, claiming the elimination of around 150 terror operatives.

Donald Trump commented on the current situation involving Israel, suggesting that Israel needs to improve its public relations efforts.

JUST IN: Donald Trump says Israel 'has to do a better job of public relations, frankly, because the other side is beating them at the public relations front' pic.twitter.com/wW6eAK8efO

— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) November 10, 2023

Efforts to return hostages continue: IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari emphasized ongoing efforts to return hostages from Gaza. He noted the complexity of these efforts, highlighting the challenges involved in such operations. Major Israeli TV networks have reported significant progress in negotiations for the release of hostages in Gaza. Some reports suggest as many as 100 captives could be released, indicating a potential breakthrough in this aspect of the conflict.

Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli actions: Adding to the international voices, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman openly condemned the Israeli military’s actions in Gaza. His statement, made at a summit with African leaders, marks a notable regional response to the conflict.

Blinken voices concern on civilian casualties: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a statement from New Delhi, delivered a strong condemnation of the civilian death toll in Gaza, as reported by CNN. He stressed the need for more efforts to minimize harm to Palestinian civilians, reflecting growing international concern over the humanitarian impact of the conflict.

Market reactions: The Israeli shekel (ILS) closed flat for the day, while Israeli stocks as tracked by the iShares MSCI Israel ETF EIS were 1.4% higher. U.S. stocks surged across the board, with the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY up 1.5%, and the tech-heavy Invesco QQQ Trust QQQ up 2.2%. Microsoft Corp. MSFT reached fresh all-time highs.

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Photo: Shutterstock: Smoke rises after Israeli air strikes on the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, October 10, 2023.