After saying in an interview with CNN that Israel built bunkers and underground tunnels at Shifa Hospital in Gaza, former Prime Minister Ehud Barak explains that his words were distorted for propaganda purposes.
In a statement on behalf of Barak's office, it was stated: "Barak's words in an interview on CNN yesterday, were distorted by Arab sources for propaganda purposes. There is no reason for media sources in Israel to fall into this trap. Barak was asked: To what extent was Israel able to prove that the bunkers under Shifa served as the main headquarters of Hamas? Barak replied that it has been known for years that there is a Hamas headquarters inside the bunkers, and that we know that it is also used in the current conflict, and that it is a junction of tunnels in their system. Barak emphasized that such headquarters also exist under other hospitals and at similar sensitive points in the Strip."
In the message it was clarified that "Barak mentioned a fact, which is also known, that decades ago, when Israel was responsible for the area, the bunkers (the bunkers, not the tunnels) were built in Shifa as part of the expansion of the hospital's hospitalization capabilities. The two-minute segment is interrupted when Barak interrupts Amanpour and repeats and emphasizes: the evidence in the hands of the IDF makes it clear beyond any doubt that the place is used as a military headquarters in the current conflict as well, despite Hamas' attempts to obfuscate, which were made possible because the IDF made sure that no doctors or patients were harmed during the operation and gave notice of the intention to operate there.
"You should watch the entire interview - in its entirety, before quoting and echoing Arab sources," the message reads.
