Israeli infantry forces engaged in a lengthy battle in the west Jabaliya district of northern Gaza, successfully capturing a Hamas stronghold known as “Outpost 17,” according to military authorities on Thursday. The Nahal Infantry Brigade troops, after intense fighting, managed to secure the outpost, killing numerous Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters in the process. They also seized weapons and discovered underground tunnel shafts, including one near a kindergarten that led to an extensive tunnel network. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that they were able to retrieve significant Hamas battle plans during the operation. The IDF did not provide specific details regarding casualties.
The ground forces received support from the Israeli Navy, which carried out strikes against Hamas’ anti-tank missile launching posts in the Gaza Strip. The IDF confirmed that Ibrahim Abu-Maghsib, the head of Hamas’ Anti-Tank Missile Unit in the Central Camps Brigade, was killed in an airstrike conducted by one of their fighter jets. The IDF described Abu-Maghsib as responsible for multiple anti-tank missile launches aimed at Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers.
In addition to the ground and naval operations, other branches of the Israeli military continued to bombard Gaza with hundreds of airstrikes, missiles, and artillery fire. The IDF announced on social media that they had successfully eliminated Ibrahim Abu-Maghsib.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that around 50,000 civilians evacuated from the north of Gaza to the south through a safe “corridor” provided by the Israeli military. However, the organization expressed concern for the dire humanitarian situation faced by hundreds of thousands of people remaining in the north of Wadi Gaza. These individuals are struggling to access basic necessities such as water and food.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, as of Tuesday, a total of 10,305 people, including 4,237 children, have been killed, and over 25,000 injured since the start of Israel’s military offensive. The offensive was launched in response to Hamas’ attack on Israeli civilians on October 7.
Israeli soldiers, along with tanks and armored personnel carriers, have been deployed to the southern border with the Gaza Strip in preparation for further operations.
