IDF Launches Intense Operation In Gaza City To Rescue The Hostages

The IDF announced that troops from multiple Divisions launched a mission and are operating in the heart of Gaza City to eliminate Hamas and rescue the hostages, ahead of this operation it is believed that Hamas terrorists moved many of the hostages within the “Civilian” population in Gaza city. During the ongoing operation many Hamas terrorists were eliminated and kilometers of subterranean tunnel networks were destroyed.  

The IDF combat teams involving multiple Battalions and Brigades are operating above ground and underground, in an urban, dense area rigged with explosives. The Hamas terrorist turned the civilian area into a fortified combat compound and fired toward the troops from sheltered areas and schools, and built an underground terrorist network from within civilian buildings.

Above ground, Israeli troops eliminated dozens of terrorists in intense combat and close-quarters encounters and destroyed dozens of terrorist infrastructure and combat compounds. The IDF located hundreds of weapons, including firearms, explosives, grenades, ammunition and more. In addition, a number of significant weapons production sites were located and destroyed. 

As part of dismantling the capabilities of the Hamas terrorist organization, Israeli soldiers raided a large number of rocket-launching compounds and destroyed launchers ready for use. On and in the days following October 7th thousands of Rockets were launched at Israel from this area of Gaza.

Underground, the IDF troops located, investigated and destroyed, with the cooperation of the Israeli soldiers of the Yahalom Unit, kilometers of an underground tunnel network. The soldiers neutralized explosives in the tunnels and located within them weapons and intelligence information about the Hamas terrorist organization. As part of the underground operation many terrorists were eliminated inside tunnels as well.

In the air effort, directed by the Israel Air Force (IAF), more than 200 aerial strikes were carried out in close proximity to the operating troops, during which dozens of terrorists were eliminated, most of them at the command level in Hamas and dozens of terrorist infrastructure and weapon warehouses were destroyed.

The IDF troops continue their mission in Gaza City eliminating Hamas and searching for the hostages, and remain combat-ready and are preparing to continue operations in the Gaza Strip.