US doubles down on claims Hamas used al-Shifa as a command centre

The United States has doubled down on claims that Hamas had operated from the al-Shifa hospital in Gaza after Israeli forces raided the medical facility. 

Speaking on Thursday, White House spokesperson John Kirby was responding to questions from reporters on the limited evidence provided by Israel to back its claim that Hamas used al-Shifa as a command centre. 

"We have our own intelligence that convinces us that Hamas was using al-Shifa as a command and control node and most likely as well as a storage facility," Kirby told reporters. 

"They were sheltering themselves in the hospital, using the hospital as a shield against military action, placing the patients and medical staff at greater risk. We are still convinced of the soundness of that intelligence."

Kirby did not confirm whether Israel had shared any intelligence it had gathered from the al Shifa hospital after raiding the facility.