The IDF has disclosed more information about how it is preventing Palestinian civilians from returning to northern Gaza from southern Gaza, pending a resolution of the war and the hostage situation.
IDF Brigade 646 has recently been involved in assisting with this mission.
Hamas has been trying to pressure Palestinian civilians to return to northern Gaza without surrendering or returning the around 130 Israeli hostages it is holding.
When a group of civilians, say around 30, including children, start gathering to move toward the crossover point near the Gaza River, the IDF fires white smoke to discourage them from approaching.
Soldiers of the IDF’s 646 Brigade on patrol in Gaza, January 24, 2024 (IDF Spokesperson’s Unit)
Usually, this tactic works, but if some of the civilians continue to approach, then the IDF will shoot live fire warning shots in the air and on the ground nearby to deter the civilians.
There have been a very small number of civilians who continued past this point, such that it has been easy to arrest them and then send them back south.
In contrast, if someone presenting a danger approaches the crossover point, IDF soldiers are authorized, after trying warning shots, to also fire at the person’s legs.
To date, Brigade 646 has been successful in preventing Palestinian civilians from returning, and the IDF has also blocked Hamas from trying to reestablish itself more generally in central or northern Gaza.
The same Brigade 646 last week exploded key pass-over points that Hamas had been using in tunnels to get past the Gaza River.
Tunnel discovered only one kilometer from Israel border
Working together with the Yahalom Unit, they were able to destroy the related tunnel network as well, which was only one-and-a-half kilometers from the border with Israel.
The key tunnel was one kilometer long, and it reached a depth of 20 meters.
During the elimination of the tunnel, the IDF also found and seized Hamas rockets, including some platforms hidden in the ground or in bushes.
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