The complex known as Al-Qadsiahwas the main base of that brigade, one of the most powerful of Hamas’ armed wing, and members of the group were planned and trained there for the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, the army reported today.
Israeli troops have been stationed since the beginning of December They are concentrating their offensive on the enclave in Khan Yunisthe capital of the Gaza Strip and a Hamas stronghold in the south, and where they believe Yahya Sinwar is hiding.
“Upon entering the area, emergency responders determined it was the complex Booby traps set by Hamas terroristseven camouflaged within the walls, which were neutralized by technical forces,” a military statement said.
The army said Hamas militants holed up near the compound opened fire on the soldiers, which they did “neutralized by snipers, tanks and the Israeli Air Force.”
In the complex they found “Large training areas”There they found models that simulated the entrances to Israeli kibbutzim, military bases and Israeli Defense Forces armored vehicles.
On October 7th More than 3,000 Hamas militants carried out an armed raid against dozens of communities in southern Israel, most of them kibbutz, killing more than 1,200 people and kidnapping more than 250.
The war that Israel declared on Hamas on the same day claimed the lives of inside the Gaza Strip more than 27,300 Gazans and more than 66,600 injuredunder the control of the Islamist group, according to medical sources.
“The soldiers also broke in central war room of the Khan Yunis Brigade and in the offices of his superiors. The base contained missile caches and tunnel mouths that led to underground routes used by the terrorist organization Hamas,” the army stressed.
The army said it found one Weapons factory and a large arsenal These include anti-tank missiles, machine guns, RPGs, explosives, grenades and ammunition.
“The Givati Brigade combat team stormed and destroyed the Khan Yunis Brigade’s iconic position and training center. That is a very important complex where many weapons were found. “We are operating in the west of the city with great success, driving out the terrorists from their hideouts,” said the commander of the Israeli army’s Givati Brigade, Liron Bitito, who carried out the operation.
The Israeli army also reported today that soldiers of the Paratrooper Brigade Fighting has intensified in recent days in the Al Amal area of western Khan Younis, where Israel says Hamas militants have hidden and found weapons, entrances to underground tunnels, observation posts and weapons factories.
This is the area hospital of the same namewhich has been under siege for almost two weeks and where the Palestinian Red Crescent, which manages the center, has reported multiple attacks and the inability of ambulances to get there.
“As the armed forces moved into the area, there were several incidents in which terrorist cells tried to shoot at the soldiers and plant explosives near them. “The soldiers eliminated the terrorists in hand-to-hand combat as well as with snipers, mortar fire and air strikes,” the military said in a statement.
They also found a building “Key to Hamas’ financial infrastructure”with safes and a hidden exchange office belonging to the group, where more than 3 million shekels (750,000 euros) and intelligence documents were stored.