ISRAELI Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that the Hamas battalions in the Shejaiya and Jabaliya neighborhoods in the northern part of the Gaza Strip were on the verge of collapse.
This comes amid the intense fighting around and in the Hamas stronghold of Khan Yunis in Southern Gaza.
In a press conference, Gallant said,
“We have encircled the last strongholds of Hamas in Jabaliya and Shejaiya, the battalions that were considered invincible, that prepared for years to fight us, are on the verge of being dismantled”.
Gallant also said that hundreds of Hamas operatives had surrendered to Israeli troops in recent days.
To recall, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Hamas operatives to surrender, and that many from the terror group had been surrendering to Israeli forces.
Meanwhile, a Times of Israel report said that the Israeli Military and the Shin Bet, Forces said it arrested over 500 terror operatives in the Gaza Strip in the last month.
All of them had been taken for questioning by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Military Intelligence and the Security Agency.
Meanwhile, more than 140 of the operatives were arrested since the Israel-Hamas ceasefire ended on December 1.
The IDF said that some of the Hamas operatives were arrested while hiding in civilian buildings, including shelters and schools.
Some 350 are Hamas members, and about 120 are members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
The IDF also released a photo showing fully-clothed detainees, unlike other photos coming out of Gaza in recent days showing suspects blindfolded, bound, and stripped down to their underwear, these photos circulated on various social media platforms, and caused strong international backlash.
Israeli National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi said suspects need to be searched to ensure they are not carrying weapons or explosives.
However, he also said the pictures of them in their underwear “serve nobody” and that he expected the distribution by Israel of such photos would stop.
On the other hand, IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari explained the arrest procedure in a video published by the military.
“I want to address the documentation published in recent days in the media
the IDF operate according to the values and spirit of the IDF. Soldiers on the battlefield are required to act professionally and ethically, and we will not compromise on this.”
“In any event that does not align with IDF values, command, and disciplinary steps will be taken. This is the way in the IDF,” Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, IDF Spokesperson said.
