Commandos battle Hamas in Khan Younis complex; ‘widespread’ airstrikes in central Gaza

Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent

IDF soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip in this picture released on March 13, 2024 (Israel Defense Forces)
IDF soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip in this picture released on March 13, 2024 (Israel Defense Forces)

The IDF’s 98th Division is continuing its offensive against Hamas in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza, in the Hamad Town residential complex and in the suburbs of al-Qarara and Abasan.

The division’s Egoz commando unit battled a seven-man Hamas cell that had been holed up in a building in Hamad, the IDF says.

The IDF says the troops killed some of the gunmen, before directing an airstrike to kill the others.

Also in Hamad, the IDF says the Maglan commando unit seized several weapons over the past day.

Meanwhile, the IDF says it eliminated in an airstrike a Hamas terrorist responsible for “many” rocket attacks on Israel, including on October 7.

The Israeli Air Force also carried out “widespread” wave of strikes against Hamas sites in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah, targeting tunnels, missile launching positions, and staging grounds, the IDF says.

Also in central Gaza, the IDF says the Nahal Brigade is continuing to battle Hamas operatives in the area. In one incident, Nahal troops spotted an operative entering a building known to belong to a Hamas member and called in an airstrike, the IDF says.

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