|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
Israel’s military said it carried out a wave of targeted airstrikes across the Gaza Strip this week, killing dozens of Hamas and Nukhba terrorists, including several commanders who took part in the October 7 massacre in southern Israel.
The coordinated strikes, conducted jointly by the IDF and Shin Bet, came after repeated violations of the ceasefire by Hamas.
According to the military, the operation eliminated two battalion-level terrorists, their two deputies, and 16 company-level commanders. The Israel Air Force led the attacks under intelligence guidance from both agencies.
Targets included Hamas command centers, weapons factories, rocket and mortar launch positions, observation sites, and underground tunnel systems.
The army said the actions were part of efforts to “restore and enforce” the ceasefire following recent rocket launches and other attacks.
Among those killed were several key operatives directly involved in the October 7 assault on Israeli communities. They included Muhammad Issa Asher, a commander in Hamas’s elite Nukhba unit; Fuaz Awida, who led a Nukhba squad; and members of the so-called “Desert Lords” terrorist organization, Muhammad Abu Sharia and Nidal Abu Sharia.
In a separate strike in the southern Gaza Strip, Israeli forces killed Khatam Maher Musa Qadra, commander of a Nukhba company in northern Khan Younis. The IDF said Qadra personally led the infiltration and attack on Kibbutz Ein HaShlosha during the October 7 atrocities.
The military described the operation as a continuation of its campaign to dismantle Hamas’s command structure and prevent further ceasefire violations. “We remain committed to defending Israeli civilians and will act decisively against anyone who threatens them,” an IDF statement said.
The strikes come amid renewed efforts to stabilize the ceasefire following days of sporadic rocket fire and Israeli retaliation.
Smoke was seen rising from multiple areas of Gaza as the attacks unfolded, marking one of the largest Israeli operations since the agreement was first breached earlier this week.