Israeli security forces delivered 300 liters of diesel fuel to Shifa Hospital in Gaza early Sunday morning and later received intelligence indicating that Hamas had intercepted the delivery, according to a Sunday night IDF statement.
Hamas on Sunday denied it had refused 300 liters (79.25 gallons) of fuel from Israel intended for medical use at Gaza's Al Shifa hospital.
"The offer belittles the pain and suffering of the patients who are trapped inside without water, food, or electricity. This quantity is not enough to operate hospital generators for more than thirty minutes," Hamas added in a statement.
The statement also added that Hamas was not associated with Al-Shifa hospital management, "nor is (Hamas) part of its decision-making structures. (The hospital) is completely subject to the authority of the Palestinian health ministry."
IDF releases video, audio evidence of Hamas fuel interference
The IDF released three separate recordings of the event. The first was an audio recording of an exchange between a representative of the Coordination and Liaison Administration (CLA), which implements civilian policy regarding the Israeli government's activity in the Gaza Strip, and an official from Shifa Hospital.
The two discussed the delivery logistics, explaining where to go and how it would be conducted.
"After we deliver the fuel," the CLA representative said, "our forces will move back so that they won't be next to the junction. You will send an ambulance to take the fuel."
The second was a video of IDF soldiers delivering 300 liters of fuel on Sunday morning near the hospital.
Finally, the IDF shared a recording of a conversation between an IDF officer and a health official in Gaza, in which the health official stated that Yusef Abu Rish, director general of Gaza's Hamas-run Health Ministry, prevented the hospital from receiving the fuel.
"There is a problem at Shifa," said the health official. "Be patient with me."
"What's the story?" asks a CLA representative.
"Abu Rish doesn't want this amount [of fuel]. We are trying to convince him."
IDF Spokesperson R.-Adm. Daniel Hagadi said the military would help evacuate babies from the hospital, at the request of the staff at Shifa.
Israel has said doctors, patients, and thousands of evacuees who have taken refuge at hospitals in northern Gaza must leave so it can tackle Hamas terrorists who it says have placed command centers under and around them.
Ahmed al-Mokhallalati, a senior plastic surgeon at Al Shifa, told Reuters there had been continuous bombardment for more than 24 hours. He said most hospital staff and people sheltering there had left, but 500 patients remained.
Hamas stealing fuel from Gazan hospitals
Earlier in November, the IDF released proof that Hamas was stealing fuel from Gazan hospitals. On November 1, they released a recording between a Hamas commander and a representative from the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza.
Two days later, they released a recording of a Gazan health official explaining how Hamas stole fuel from Shifa Hospital.
Yonah Jeremy Bob and Reuters contributed to this report.