The IDF and Shin Bet released a joint statement Thursday announcing that Hamas is using a section of Nasser Hospital for torture and interrogation.

According to the statement, Hamas fears losing its grip on the population of Gaza due to the erosion of support among the people during its prolonged conflict with Israel and is using fear and intimidation to tighten its control over the populace. The military has identified a section of the hospital, a building called Yassin, where the torture and interrogation take place.

It also said that patients and staff are subjected to seeing masked and armed members of Hamas in the hospital, adding that this harms the patients.

“Patients and hospital staff witness the permanent presence of Hamas operatives, some of them masked, in various areas of the hospital complex,” the two groups said. “Hamas’ use of the hospital creates fear and harms patients, service providers and medical staff.”

They identified Hamas’ Internal Security and Military Intelligence as the units carrying out these activities on the second floor of the Yassin building, the hospital’s outpatient clinic, saying that Nasser Hospital has served and continues to serve as a “key Hamas military infrastructure site” in southern Gaza.

“The exploitation of civilian infrastructure for interrogations and torture is a widespread phenomenon within Hamas. These actions by Hamas constitute a violation of international law, which prohibits the military use of hospitals,” the statement said.

The IDF concluded with a warning for Gaza’s residents: “Hamas is afraid of losing control of the Strip and therefore uses hospitals, schools and other civilian facilities for its own purposes, harming residents in spaces that are intended to serve them.”

Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of using hospitals for military purposes, a violation of international law.