IDF advances into the heart of Gaza City

Israeli forces capture major Hamas stronghold in northern Gaza, securing key intel information.

By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

The Israeli army has started advancing into the heart of Gaza City, the IDF announced Monday night.

“For the last several hours, IDF soldiers are working deep in Gaza City,” chief IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in a press conference. “They are intensifying the pressure on the city.”

The ground forces have taken control of a Hamas military outpost, finding a wealth of valuable intelligence information as well as anti-tank launchers and missiles and other weaponry.

A large number of terrorists have been killed, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said, including senior Hamas officers.

“In the last day alone, Hamas battalion and company commanders have been killed, some of them who just replaced others whom we eliminated a day or two ago,” he stated.

Army units discovering Hamas squads readying for an attack called in air support several times to target the terrorists, and more than a dozen Hamas members were killed.

Several terrorists had hidden in a building just a few dozen yards away from the Gaza City Al-Quds hospital, and when the structure was bombed, several large secondary explosions were reported, attesting to the existence of a weapons depot right next to a medical facility.

Many rocket launching sites have been found and destroyed, including a set of ten launchers found in a mosque. Over fifty rockets were found in a youth group’s premises, with the launchers sticking out of a large window facing north, towards Israel.

“We’re at the scout troop of northern Gaza,” said Lt. Col. Tomer. “You can see the names and all the pictures of the cute scouts [on the wall]. And here you can see rockets aimed seemingly at Ashkelon or the northern region, right in the scouts’ building.”

Storing weapons in, and firing rockets from, civilian areas are considered a war crime by international law.

In a Walla report Tuesday, company commander Captain Uri of the 77th Battalion said that his force is working in the heart of the city.

“We will hunt down anti-tank squads, locate terrorists in the underground, and provide cover for the maneuvering forces. The fighters and commanders of the company have shown courage so far, and will continue to do so. The spirit of the fallen is with us,” he said.

The IDF again appealed Tuesday morning to Gazans still left in the northern part of the Strip to leave for their own safety. Spokesman Avichai Edri, who is in charge of the IDF’s social media in the Arab world, said, “Although Hamas continues to harm the ongoing humanitarian efforts on behalf of the residents of Gaza and uses you as a human shield, the IDF will once again allow passage on Salah al-Din Road between the hours of 10:00 and 14:00, for your safety. Take advantage of the next opportunity to move south.”