‘We investigate who is linked to Hamas, and who isn’t. We arrest them all and interrogate them.’
Photos and videos shared by Israeli journalists on social media show scores of men surrendering to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the neighborhoods of Jabaliya and Shejaiya in Gaza.
Some videos from correspondents in the region reportedly showed the IDF arresting dozens of men who surrendered and were being checked to determine if they were operatives for Hamas or Islamic Jihad, both Palestinian terror groups operating out of Gaza.
“Jabaliya and Shejaiya are ‘centers of gravity’… for terrorists, and we are fighting them,” said IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari. “They are hiding underground and come out and we fight them. Whoever is left in those areas, they come out from tunnel shafts, and some from buildings, and we investigate who is linked to Hamas, and who isn’t. We arrest them all and interrogate them,” Hagari says in response to a question at a press conference.
“Hamas fighters surrendering here in seemingly large numbers,” wrote defense analyst Jonathan Schanzer on X/Twitter. “This is a good sign, if the trend continues. Questioning them will also lead to more intelligence that could also help bring a speedier end to this phase of the war.”
Some of the heaviest fighting of the Israel-Hamas war has occurred in recent days, as IDF troops have pushed into multiple Hamas strongholds across northern and southern Gaza.
The IDF “launched a combined attack on the area of the city of Khan Younis, against the ‘centers of gravity’ of the Hamas terror organization,” the IDF said in a statement on Wednesday evening. It added that the forces broke through Hamas defenses within a few hours.
“The entire leadership of the Hamas terror organization — political and military — grew up in the area of the city of Khan Younis, including Yahya Sinwar, Muhammad Sinwar, and Mohammed Deif. Now the city is surrounded by the 98th Division,” the IDF said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video statement saying that IDF forces were “currently surrounding Sinwar’s house.”
“His home isn’t his castle, and he can flee, but it’s just a matter of time until we get to him,” Netanyahu added.
Sinwar is Hamas’ leader in Gaza.
The IDF announced on Thursday the deaths of three more soldiers, bringing the current toll from the military’s ground operation to 87. Israel launched its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza following the terror group’s Oct. 7 invasion of the Jewish state, in which Palestinian terrorists rampaged across southern Israeli communities, murdering 1,200 people and kidnapped 240 as hostages.
“Hamas is losing control of Gaza,” said Schanzer, the military analyst. “The IDF may be drawing closer to [Hamas leaders] Yahya Sinwar & Mohammed Deif. The question now: will they flee Gaza by tunnel to Egypt or fight to the end?”