From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
IDF: Overnight strikes in Gaza City targeted Hamas terrorists who participated in Oct. 7 massacre, held hostages
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
Hamas terrorists who participated in the October 7 onslaught and were involved in holding hostages were targeted in airstrikes overnight in Gaza City, the military says.
The IDF says fighter jets struck two buildings, in Gaza City’s Shati camp and Daraj neighborhood, that it says were used by Hamas. It says the Hamas operatives were based out of school compounds.
“The terrorists were involved in planning many terror attacks against Israel, and some of them were involved in holding hostages and participating in the massacre on October 7,” the IDF says in statement.
The military says it carried out aerial surveillance, used “precision munitions,” and employed other intelligence to mitigate harm to civilians in the strikes.
At least 10 Palestinian were reported killed in the strike in Shati, including a sister of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. In Daraj, at least another eight Palestinians were killed, according to media reports in Gaza.
“The Hamas terrorist organization continuously violates international law by systematically exploiting civilian structures and using the civilian population as human shields for its terror activity against Israel,” the IDF adds in a statement.
