The Israeli army says it has killed several Hamas members in tunnels in the south of the Gaza Strip.
A tunnel system several hundred metres long has been destroyed and Hamas’ combat and command capabilities in the area around the city of Khan Yunis has been significantly reduced, the army added. The information could not initially be independently verified.
According to Colonel Miki Sharvit, 20 suspected Hamas terrorists were killed in one tunnel alone. The Jerusalem Post newspaper quoted him as saying almost the whole area was made up of military infrastructure.
Israel is under heavy international pressure because of the many civilians killed in the Gaza war and the massive destruction of civilian infrastructure. According to the Hamas-controlled health authority in the coastal strip, more than 22,400 people have died so far and more than 57,600 have been injured.
Israel is trying to wipe out Hamas after Islamist terrorists killed over 1,200 people in attacks on the Jewish state on October 7.
From Thursday next week, Israel will have to answer for the military operation before an international court for the first time. South Africa had sued Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, accusing it of genocide. The initial hearings have been scheduled for January 11 and 12.