IDF troops in Khan Younis
(Video: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
IDF forces advanced into the Khan Younis region on Sunday, conducted a raid on the office of the Khan Younis Brigade commander, targeted terrorist infrastructure and subterranean tunnels, and ultimately secured control of Bani Suheila Square at the heart of Khan Younis.
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"In the past week, 7th Brigade troops eliminated numerous terrorists, located approximately 30 tunnel shafts and destroyed numerous anti-tank and lookout posts in the area. They also confiscated grenades and anti-tank missiles and found intelligence materials including phones, computers and Hamas guidebooks," the military said in a statement.
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Weapons and armaments found in raids on Hamas sites in Khan Younis
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
"The soldiers also conducted a targeted raid on Hamas’ Deir Al Balah Battalion post and seized intelligence materials. The forces also operated against the residence of a Nukhba terrorist, where they found weapons and equipment belonging to Hamas' naval forces."
The force has been engaged in combat since the war's onset, successfully gaining control of large swaths of northern Gaza before moving to the southern region.
"We raided a Hamas military compound and found valuable intelligence material in the office of the Khan Younis Brigade commander," the 7th Brigade commander said.
"There are terrorists and armaments in every home here, and in some locations, we found military diving gear, including wetsuits. In other locations, we found considerable digging equipment and even a GoPro used by a terrorist who took part in the Oct. 7 massacre."
The forces reached the upscale vacation residences used by senior Hamas officials in Khan Younis, as well as the city's municipal building. However, the combat in Khan Younis, the second-largest city in the Palestinian enclave, presented unique challenges compared to the deserted streets of Gaza City, which the soldiers were more familiar with.
"We came across a Gazan riding a bike with his two daughters alongside us when suddenly shots were fired from his vicinity," the brigade commander said, as he explained the complexities of the fighting in Khan Younis. "In another case, we raided the home of terrorists and in the basement, we have found three Hamas operatives hiding among 20 civilians, 15 of them children," he said.
"These are complex dilemmas, but our troops are well-trained and strong. We relayed to them the lessons learned after the incident in Shijaiyah on Friday [where troops mistakenly shot and killed Israeli hostages who escaped from Hamas captivity]. They know they are fighting a just war and making history. They have not been home since the start of the war and some of our reservists have had new babies born in the months since. We will not stop until we eliminate Hamas," he said.