The Israel Defense Forces on Friday struck an armed Hamas terrorist cell operating near troops in the northern Gaza Strip, the military said.
After identifying the threat, a targeted strike was conducted against the cell, with a hit identified, according to the statement.
“IDF troops in the Southern Command remain deployed in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and will continue to operate to remove any immediate threat,” the military added.
צה"ל תקף חוליית מחבלים חמושים מארגון הטרור חמאס שפעלו סמוך לכוחותינו בצפון רצועת עזה
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) April 3, 2026
כוחות צה"ל זיהו מוקדם יותר היום חוליית מחבלים חמושים מארגון הטרור חמאס, שפעלו בסמוך לכוחות צה"ל הפועלים בצפון רצועת עזה באופן שהיווה איום מיידי על הכוחות.
מיד לאחר הזיהוי, צה"ל תקף באופן ממוקד… pic.twitter.com/IbcDKoXNMO
Hamas representatives told mediators they will not discuss disarmament before receiving guarantees that the IDF will fully withdraw from Gaza, three sources told Reuters on Thursday.
The terrorist group met with Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators in Cairo this week to give its first response to a disarmament proposal presented by U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, two Egyptian sources and a Palestinian official told the wire agency.
Hamas presented several demands and proposed amendments to the Board’s plan, including an end to Israeli “violations” and an IDF withdrawal from the enclave, the two Egyptian sources said. The sources said Hamas refused to discuss laying down weapons before those issues are addressed.
Another source with direct knowledge of the Board of Peace’s thinking said that Hamas’s response meant that talks were unlikely to lead to a breakthrough. The source said that the terrorists were supposed to meet with mediators again next week.
