Israeli soldiers claimed to have killed several Hamas fighters at the outset of a raid on the Al-Shifa hospital, where thousands of Palestinian civilians — patients, displaced people and medical staff — have been trapped during weeks of fighting, Reuters reports.

“Before entering the hospital our forces were confronted by explosive devices and terrorist squads, fighting ensued in which terrorists were killed,” the Israeli military said, without specifying exactly where the firefight took place.

Israeli Army Radio claimed five Hamas fighters had been killed and that weapons were found inside the Al-Shifa compound.