In the wee hours of the 40th night since the Simchat Torah invasion and massacres, the IDF launched an operation in, around and under al-Shifa Hospital in the western sector of Gaza city. Special forces have entered the hospital and are reported to be in control of the Emergency Room, Courtyard and “specific areas” of the medical compound.

The IDF has reported that the operation was intended to be surgical and focused on a specific mission, with strong suggestions from Israel and Washington that rescuing hostages is the primary purpose and that the actions was not directed against civilians.

Earlier Washington, from the White House and the State Department confirmed that US intelligence confirmed the Israeli claim that Gaza hospitals were being used for military purposes and to conceal hostages, which the US termed as “war crimes.” The statements explicitly gave Israeli forces sanction to launch the daring raid.

At 1 am, the IDF informed the Ministry of Health in Gaza that forces intended to enter the hospital imminently. By 2 am the forces were entering from the western side of the Al-Shifa hospital.

Palestinian sources indicate that no shots were fired at entering IDF soldiers, who appeared to be focusing on the hospital’s basement and subterranean levels, of which there are reportedly 8 according to documents released earlier in the day.

The IDF is reported to have asserted total control over the medical compound and has installed electronic gates to fully control above ground movement. Tanks are surrounding the area. Explosions have been heard.

All journalists have been ordered out of the area. Civilians are being directed by loudspeakers to enter specific areas with hands raised. A thick cover of smoking is billowing over Gaza. News from within the compound is not being reported on Israeli channels. Gazan news sources are also largely in the dark.

Well-connected military correspondent for Channel 2, Or Heller reports that there is excellent coordination between the IDF and Shifa hospital officials, despite reports to the contrary from the Arab media. He reports that the forces are carrying out very methodical searches and interrogations to gain more knowledge to access lower floors.

About 8:30 am Israel time, the IDF issued an update on the happenings at the Shifa Hospital: “The activity is taking place in a specified complex about which there is intelligence information indicating terrorist activity by Hamas. Before the troops entered the hospital, they encountered terrorist squads and explosive devices – a battle took place on the spot, several terrorists were killed. The forces delivered medical equipment, incubators and baby food to the hospital. IDF medical teams are on the ground with Arabic-speaking soldiers to make sure that the medical equipment reaches its destination.”

It is now becoming clear that the protracted negotiations were intended in large part to buy time to empty the civilian population from northern Gaza generally and the Shifa compound in particular. The deal may also have been a factor in bringing or keeping hostages to the most built-up area of the Hamas command headquarters.

The brilliance of the move and the superb execution, at least to this point, has at least raised hopes for a national still reeling from the humiliating and devastating October 7 surprise attacks and massacres. For Benjamin Netanyahu, whose brother fell in the dramatic 1976 raid to rescue the Entebbe hostages, almost five decades later, could it have really played out any other way?

After 8 hours of presence in the hospital, the IDF announced that it had found military infrastructure and weapons but no indications of hostages. Five Hamas terrorists were killed during the ingress. The IDF suffered no casualties. The search continues.