IDF ambush kills October 7 terrorists, Nukhba forces in Khan Yunis operation

The IDF operated in the Khan Yunis area in the Gaza Strip, where troops killed Nukhba forces and other terrorists who were involved in the Nir Yitzhak massacre on October 7, the IDF reported on Wednesday.

In Beit Hanoun, an Israel Air Force fighter jet eliminated terrorists who fled to a nearby military building. The IAF worked in coordination with the Northern Brigade of the Gaza Division to complete the operation. 

Fighter jets attacked two terrorists complicit in the massacre of Nir Yitzhak on October 7 who hid in a military structure. The IDF was successful in killing two platoon commanders and a squad commander from the Nukhba Force, Hamas’s elite unit. 

Troops from the Nahal Brigade operated in the central Gaza Strip and killed approximately 20 terrorists in the last day through sniper fire, remotely manned aircraft, and IAF fighter jets. 

Coordination among ground troops, IAF, and intelligence

In one particular attack, as part of a sniper ambush initiated by IDF, troops killed 15 terrorists. In another, the brigade’s fire complex, alongside the IAF and guided by military intelligence, attacked terrorist infrastructure from which terrorists launched anti-aircraft fire at IDF troops. After this operation, explosions were seen, indicating that large amounts of ammunition were stored in the area, the military noted.

Soldiers from the Givati Brigade operated in the Hamad neighborhood in Khan Yunis, where they identified several terrorists that were promptly eliminated by a combat helicopter. Later, IDF troops identified a terrorist approaching them, who was killed.

Additionally, soldiers from the IDF Commando Brigade continued to search the buildings of the Hamad neighborhood and eliminate terrorists. On one such search, troops found weapons caches containing Kalashnikovs and cartridges. While searching the same neighborhood, soldiers from the 7th Brigade found more weapons and military equipment. 

During an ambush, soldiers from the Bislach Brigade identified five armed terrorists and killed them with short-range fire. 

Hamas terrorists complicit in Kibbutz Kfar Aza massacre arrested 

In other developments, IDF troops arrested Hamas terrorists who took part in the October 7 massacre, who were handed over for investigation by security officials, Walla! reported. One such terrorist was complicit on October 7, who had entered Kibbutz Kfar Aza and managed to escape back to the Gaza Strip. 

According to military sources, Israel holds approximately 230 Hamas terrorists suspected of taking part in the October 7 attacks. Fifty have completed the investigation and are defined as “participants in the massacre” who will undergo criminal investigation. Another 140 are currently under investigation, and the rest are at varying stages of investigation, Walla! stated. 

There are rising questions of who would be given the task of indictment and prosecution, the military or the civilian judicial system, with rising criticisms about the under-preparedness of the IDF in dealing with the task. A possible hostage deal would also raise issues in relation to a prisoner exchange. 

IDF and Shin Bet raid Hamad towers terror infrastructures 

Later on Wednesday, the military said the Commando Brigade, along with Shayetet 13 and Shin Bet forces, (Israel Security Agency) arrived secretly to the Hamad multi-story towers in Khan Yunis and raided terror infrastructures located within them which are used by Hamas. During the operation, troops arrested many terrorists who surrendered, among whom were a Hamas sniper commander and two Hamas squad commanders. 

Furthermore, the forces found many weapons,  including grenades, vests, RPGs, Kalashnikovs, explosives, ammunition, and closed-circuit diving systems intended for terror use. 

Forces of the Givati Brigade continued to encircle the terror infrastructures in the neighborhood, in addition to the areas.

The military stated the forces had arrested some 250 Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorists. Some of them participated in the October 7 massacre, while others belonged to the Nukhba unit. 

JPost