'Hamas using civilians as human shields': Israeli PM Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to French President Emmanuel Macron's call for Israel to stop attacking the civilians in Gaza, Netanyahu said that Hamas is responsible for these deaths, and not Israel, The Times of Israel reported.

He further said that Israel is doing everything possible to avoid harming Gazan civilians, whereas, Hamas is doing everything to prevent them from leaving for safe zones.

"While Israel is doing everything to refrain from harming civilians and calling on them to leave areas of fighting, Hamas-ISIS is doing everything to prevent them from leaving for safe areas and is using them as human shields," Netanyahu said in a statement.

Israeli PM added that Hamas is "cruelly holding our hostages -- woman, children and the elderly -- in a crime against humanity" and "uses schools, mosques and hospitals as terror command centres."

Moreover, he said that today Hamas is committing crimes in Gaza, tomorrow it will spread such attacks in other nations as well, according to The Times of Israel.

"These crimes that Hamas-ISIS is coming today in Gaza, will tomorrow be committed in Paris, New York and everywhere around the world. World leaders must condemn Hamas-ISIS and not Israel," Netanyahu added.

Reportedly, the IDF's Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee on Friday shared a post on X, stating that the rocket that hit Al-Shifa hospital in the Gaza Strip, which left many dead and injured, was caused by a "failed launch by the terrorist organizations that tried to fire at Israel", adding, "According to IDF systems, rocket-propelled grenades hit the hospital."

The IDF also gave an operational update saying that the 401st Brigade had eliminated approximately 150 terrorists and gained control over Hamas terrorist strongholds in northern Gaza. The targets included, Arms production site Launching stations and an underground network.

Meanwhile, on Friday, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Lior Haiat revised its death toll of last month's Hamas attacks to nearly 1200, reported The Times of Israel.

Israel has revised the death toll of last month's Hamas attacks from 1400 to roughly 1,200, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lior Haiat tells The Times of Israel.

However, he refused to explain the reason behind the updated death toll.

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