The Israeli Defense Forces struck 200 terror infrastructure targets in Gaza over the past 24 hours and seized weapons belonging to Hamas, the IDF said on Sunday.
Among the facilities was a building in northern Gaza where civilians were staying that contained a Hamas weapons complex. Soldiers found explosive belts adapted for children, dozens of explosives, hundreds of grenades and intelligence documents, the IDF said. The weapons complex was located close to schools, a medical clinic and a mosque.
Briefing reporters on Saturday night, IDF Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari disclosed that over the course of the ground war that began on Oct. 27, Israeli forces have destroyed and seized approximately 30,000 explosive devices that were in Hamas’s possession, including anti-tank missiles and rockets.
“There is an immense amount of weaponry in Gaza; some, as happened today, are found in schools. During our current operation in the Daraj-Tufah [neighborhoods of Gaza City], we scanned schools and found weapons, including a significant amount of rockets and equipment belonging to Hamas’s naval commando unit. We seize the weapons, neutralizing Hamas’ terrorism capabilities,” Hagari said.
During a separate operation in the northern Gaza Strip, soldiers identified several terrorists coming out of a “military” structure where Hamas had placed observation devices. The forces directed an airstrike on the building, eliminating the terror squad.
At least 1,200 people were killed in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on Oct. 7. The number of men, women and children held captive in Gaza by Hamas is now believed to be 129, including about two dozen who were murdered. Other people remain unaccounted for as Israeli authorities continue to identify bodies and search for human remains.
