The Israeli military confirmed on Thursday that the director of Al Shifa Hospital in the Gaza Strip had been held for questioning over reports that the facility had been used as a command and control centre by Hamas.
"In the hospital, under his management, there was extensive Hamas terrorist activity," the military said in a statement, having published videos and photos of tunnels alleged to have been used by the terror group under the hospital.
Israeli forces raided the hospital as they seek to destroy Hamas but have faced widespead criticism for the incursion into a medical facility. Hamas has always denied there was an extensive tunnel network underneath the building.
Meanwhile, there were concerns that an agreement for a four-day ceasefire in Gaza may have hit a last-minute snag.
A senior Israeli official said it would not take effect before Friday, a day later than originally expected.
The first truce in the seven-week-old war is meant to be accompanied by the release of 50 women and children hostages seized by Hamas, in exchange for 150 Palestinian detainees from Israeli jails.
The lull in the conflict was also expected to clear the way for desperately-needed humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.
But on Thursday there was more fighting in the enclave.
Columns of black smoke could be seen rising above the war zone from across the fence in Israel as daylight broke.
The Israeli military said it had launched 300 air strikes in the past day, and sounded sirens warning of cross-border rocket launches by Palestinian armed groups.
Palestinian media reported Israeli strikes in the northern areas of Gaza as well as in the southern city of Khan Younis, where Israel has told residents of the north to seek shelter.
Israeli officials did not give a full explanation for the delay in the start of the truce but said full arrangements still needed to be made for the release of the hostages to begin.
“This would appear to be a matter of finalising the details,” said energy minister Israel Katz, a member of the security cabinet.
On Thursday, Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron visited Israel following the announcement of a possible truce in the war with Hamas.
The former Prime Minister visited Kibbutz Be’eri, the scene of some of the worst violence during the Hamas slaughter of about 1,200 people in Israel on October 7.
The terror group also took about 240 people as hostages.
Israel responded with weeks of air strikes on Gaza before a ground invasion.
At least 13,300 people have been killed in the besieged strip, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
I have heard and seen things I will never forget
Lord Cameron said: “I wanted to come here to see it for myself; I have heard and seen things I will never forget.
“Today is also a day where we hope to see progress on the humanitarian pause.
“This is a crucial opportunity to get hostages out and aid in to Gaza, to help Palestinian civilians who are facing a growing humanitarian crisis.”
Lord Cameron’s visit comes a day after he met counterparts from Arab and Islamic countries – including the Palestinian Authority – at Lancaster House in London to discuss the Middle East crisis.
Foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Indonesia and Nigeria, as well as the secretary general of the League of Arab States and the ambassador of Qatar, attended the event.
Lord Cameron said the group discussed how to use the planned pause in the Israel-Hamas fighting to consider “how we can build a peaceful future which provides security for Israel but also peace and stability for the Palestinian people”.
But until the truce is implemented, Israel has said it will continue to target Hamas in Gaza.
Amnesty International UK’s chief executive, Sacha Deshmukh, said Lord Cameron should back a full ceasefire.
He said: “With the horrifying civilian death toll from Israeli attacks in Gaza still rising and no permanent ceasefire in sight, it’s vital that David Cameron uses this trip to signal an urgently needed change of direction from the UK Government in support of humanity and international law.
“Lord Cameron should inform the Israeli government that the UK will now support a full, negotiated ceasefire on all sides in the interests of averting further civilian suffering for Palestinians and Israelis.
“Short pauses are not enough. Civilian lives in Gaza, Israel and the wider Occupied Palestinian Territory are at stake, and the Foreign Secretary can help shift international momentum in the direction of respect for international law, de-escalation and life-saving aid access.”
