Irish-born doctor claims Israeli forces ‘found nothing’ in hospital search in Gaza

The Israeli military claimed it had uncovered a Hamas tunnel shaft and a vehicle with weapons at the Al Shifa hospital complex on Thursday.

It also made public videos and photographs to support its statement.

However, Doctor Ahmed El Mokhallalati who is described as a surgeon born in Ireland who trained in Cairo and practiced in London, has denied the Israeli claims.

He told Reuters by telephone: "The situation is totally difficult. They are shooting all the time, all the areas,” he has been quoted as saying.

"They have found nothing. They have found no single resistance. No single gunshot, against them within the hospital area."

The Palestinian militant group Hamas also denied the Israeli claims while Reuters said it had been unable to verify the situation at the hospital independently.

Mokhallalati also said the Israeli military had provided some supplies since entering the hospital but that it was insufficient.

"What happened is that the people, we run out of food, we ran out of drinking water," Mokhallalati said. "And then, yesterday, they arranged some, just some food and water, which is very, very minimal, which doesn't cover, maybe 40% of the number of people around here."

Dr Mohamed Tabasha, head of the paediatric department at Al Shifa, is quoted in the Daily Mail as saying three newborn babies had died as problems mounted at the hospital, and that the 36 remaining newborns were at risk.

Yesterday, Tánaiste Micheál Martin warned the Israeli government that its war in Gaza risks more young people being radicalised and pushed into the arms of jihadist groups such as Hamas.

The Tánaiste whose convoy was also forced to stop and seek shelter during the day when an air raid siren sounded in Israel, has been criticised for Ireland’s stance on the conflict.

Mr Martin spoke with Israeli president Isaac Herzog and foreign minister Eli Cohen during his one-day visit to the country.

He also travelled to the West Bank, where he met Palestine Authority prime minister Mohammad Ibrahim Shtayyeh and foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki.

Earlier in the day, he visited the kibbutz in southern Israel where eight-year-old Emily Hand was living before she was abducted by Hamas.

In a meeting organised by Mr Cohen between Mr Martin and Sderot mayor Alon Davidi, the mayor asked if the Irish delegation “are here to support us?”.

Mr Cohen said they were.

During a tense engagement, Mr Davidi told how his seven children, aged between 12 and 25, have endured bombings all their life and questioned the Tánaiste robustly on Ireland’s calls for ceasefire in Israel’s war against Hamas.

“We must finish the job, if you stop us, they will destroy us and you and everyone,” Mr Davidi said, adding that he was “begging” Ireland to support Israel in its war on the terror group.

“When you see the picture outside, it seems that Israel are the bad guy and Gaza and Hamas are the people that want to free Palestinians, free Gaza. They destroyed Gaza, they destroyed the future of the people of Gaza,” he said.

“I’m begging you and I ask you to support Israel. I’m a strong guy. I don’t ask for money.”

Mr Martin offered assurances that Ireland does not support any idea that Hamas can undermine the Israeli state, but reiterated Ireland’s calls for a ceasefire.

“We called for a ceasefire on humanitarian grounds because we believe the scale of death and destruction is too high, I have to say that,” he said.

Mr Davidi said: “I will say to my prime minister to stop the war if Ireland can promise me that after five days, all the weapons that Hamas has in Gaza and all the armies of the Hamas go outside to Egypt or someplace, maybe to Ireland or maybe to Europe.”

Speaking before he left Israel, the Fianna Fáil leader said the Israeli government’s focus solely on a military campaign against Hamas will lead to more Palestinians becoming radicalised and engaging in terrorist activities.

However, Mr Martin said he did not fear the possibility of people leaving Gaza for Ireland and setting up Hamas sleeper cells.

“I don’t see that happening in this case,” he said. “What you get is post-migration radicalisation.

“You’ve seen it in France, we’ve seen it in America, but I don’t see that to be fair.”

Mr Martin said dealing with issues through “a military lens alone will radicalise people, and will create future extreme perspectives and that’s the really danger that will come up with this war in Gaza”.

“The Palestinian Authority will say something similar, that what you’re essentially doing is you’re creating fertile ground for more extreme views to grow,” he added