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gaza war update

Gaza fighting continues: IDF announces defeat of Hamas’ Beit Hanoun battalion, shows surrendering fighters

IDF chief: Hamas is responsible for ‘killing and suffering of Gaza residents’

 
Israeli soldiers operating in Gaza (Photo: IDF)

Despite ongoing attempts to reach a negotiated agreement and Israeli drawdowns of troop numbers operating in the enclave, the military announced that it defeated Hamas’ battalion in the Beit Hanoun area of northern Gaza.

“The Beit Hanoun Battalion – which posed a threat to [the Israeli towns of] Nir Am and Sderot – has surrendered and was defeated by soldiers of the Givati Brigade,” the IDF announced on Saturday.

During the fighting, several Hamas terrorists surrendered to Israeli forces, suggesting a breakdown in morale among the group’s fighters in the area.

Soldiers of the Givati Brigade “identified several terrorists emerging from a tunnel shaft in the area. The terrorists surrendered to the forces and were arrested on the spot,” the IDF said, adding they “revealed that they had planned to flee” from the Israeli troops in the area.

“Additionally, the terrorists provided information about a nearby weapons cache, which they led the troops to. A large quantity of weapons was seized at the site, including tactical vests, magazines, hand grenades, and firearms. Inside the tunnel, equipment for prolonged stay was discovered, including food, water, and hygiene supplies,” the military stated.

During a field inspection on the frontlines over the weekend, Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir said it would become clear in the coming days “whether we can reach an agreement for the release of our hostages.”

“If not, the combat will continue without rest,” he vowed.

On Saturday, the IDF also announced the elimination of the deputy commander of Hamas’ Al-Furqan Battalion, Salah al-Din Zaghara.

He was responsible for “directing and advancing numerous terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops in the Gaza Strip,” the military said. Overall, the IDF struck some 130 Hamas targets over the weekend.

In northern and central Gaza, Israeli forces continue to identify and dismantle terrorist infrastructure both above and below ground, according to the IDF. During these operations, troops killed several terrorists by firing shells.

Zamir said the Israeli military would “persist and adapt, prepare properly, and act to maximize our advantages, reduce operational vulnerabilities and wear, and place Hamas under increasing pressure.”

He also spoke about Hamas’ efforts in initiating a media campaign alleging Israel is deliberately starving the Gaza Strip – a narrative that he said is fueling the international torrent of criticism and diplomatic moves against Israel.

“The current campaign of false accusations of intentional starvation is a deliberate, timed, and deceitful attempt to accuse the IDF, a moral army, of war crimes,” said Zamir.

“The ones responsible for the killing and suffering of the residents in the Gaza Strip is Hamas. IDF soldiers and commanders act with integrity and morality, in accordance with the IDF’s values and international law.”

However, following a change of directives by the Israeli political echelon at the start of the week, the IDF continued to facilitate a surge of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.

On Friday, the Israeli troops coordinated the airdrops of 126 aid packages by several countries, including first-time deliveries from France, Spain and Germany.

On Saturday, Israel, cooperated with the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, France, and Germany to drop 90 aid packages “containing food for the residents of both the southern and northern Gaza Strip.”

“The IDF will continue to work in order to improve the humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip, along with the international community, while refuting the false claims of deliberate starvation in Gaza,” the military stressed.

The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.

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