By: Fern Sidman

Over the past week, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), under the command of Southern Command and in close coordination with the Shin Bet and Military Intelligence Directorate (AMAN), have intensified their military campaign in Gaza, resulting in the elimination of more than 100 Hamas operatives—including some of the group’s most senior battlefield commanders. The aggressive campaign, as reported by Israel National News (INN), reflects a continued effort to dismantle Hamas’s command structure and secure critical territorial and strategic advantages within the Gaza Strip.

Among the high-ranking terrorists neutralized were Hakam Issa, Hamas’s Head of Combat Assistance; Mohammad Al-Sheikh, the Head of the Operations Division for the Khan Younis Brigade; Issa Abbas, a Platoon Commander in the Zaytoun Battalion; and Mohammad Jarousha, a Platoon Commander in the Tzabara Battalion. These eliminations, INN notes, are a significant blow to Hamas’s military hierarchy and its ability to coordinate resistance within the Strip.

IDF Division 98, having resumed maneuvering operations this week, joined forces with Division 162 in launching a concentrated assault on entrenched Hamas elements affiliated with the Gaza Brigade in northern Gaza. These operations targeted Hamas fighters operating in dense urban areas and fortified positions, often embedded within civilian infrastructure.

According to the information provided in the INN report, the current Israeli campaign marks one of the most expansive and sustained operations against Hamas’s operational capacity since the start of the war. Israeli airstrikes have hit more than 7,500 terror-related targets across the Gaza Strip. These include munitions depots, rocket launch sites, subterranean tunnel networks, command and control centers, and active combatants from a range of militant factions.

“The IDF and Shin Bet forces continue to operate in Gaza in line with the goals of the war, aiming to protect Israeli citizens, particularly those living in the Gaza envelope,” a joint statement emphasized, as cited by Israel National News (INN).

At present, the IDF holds operational control over approximately 65% of Gaza’s territory, with sustained ground operations aimed at locating and neutralizing hidden weapons caches and underground military installations. In the northern part of the Gaza Strip, IDF engineering and infantry units are methodically dismantling subterranean infrastructure, much of it rigged for ambush or housing explosive devices. Air and ground forces have simultaneously engaged militants attempting to regroup or resist advancing IDF columns.

In Khan Younis—a historically significant Hamas stronghold—Israeli troops have uncovered and destroyed a string of fortified compounds used for command and logistics. Over the past 24 hours, the IDF reported eliminating additional terrorists and seizing a large cache of arms, contributing to the ongoing degradation of Hamas’s operational readiness.

In Rafah, near the Egyptian border, Israeli forces are executing a tactical sweep, dismantling dozens of terrorist sites and weapons stores. The IDF’s presence in the region serves not only to neutralize Hamas’s logistical corridors but also to shield the vulnerable communities of the Western Negev, the INN report noted.

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has remained integral to the multi-pronged campaign, conducting nearly 100 targeted strikes in the past 24 hours alone to support infantry and armored divisions operating in Gaza. The IAF focused on missile launchers, command shelters, weapons manufacturing centers, and military installations strategically embedded throughout the Strip.

The INN report emphasized that these airstrikes are part of Israel’s overarching strategy to maintain battlefield momentum and prevent Hamas from regrouping or launching further rocket barrages toward Israeli population centers.

The IDF’s latest actions underscore a pivotal stage in the broader war effort: one marked by territorial consolidation, leadership decapitation, and relentless suppression of enemy infrastructure. As INN reported, Israeli defense officials remain resolute in their objective to ensure long-term security for the Israeli populace, particularly those living under the shadow of the Gaza border.

While international scrutiny of the conflict continues, Israel’s military and intelligence leadership has made clear that operations will persist until Hamas’s ability to wage war is irreversibly diminished. As Israeli control over Gaza expands and the terrorist leadership network continues to erode, the coming weeks may prove decisive in shaping the region’s geopolitical landscape.